Employee Tools

Good afternoon chaps.

What is the opinion on tools for employees?

I have always provided everything from a file and drill bits to recovery rigs and extension leads...Everthing. Obviously over the years this has got very expensive as employees don't treat my kit with the same care they would if they had bought it themselves. The amount of 13mm spanners I buy is unreal, every ceiling void around the country must contain one of my spanners. Don't get me started on 110v extension leads!!

So I was moaning about this to one of my customers (a reasonable sized M&E contractor) who has a workforce of directly employed PAYE site working staff appx 120 lads. He provides them with a van, fuel card and nothing else. All hand tools and general power tools are the lads own.

How do other forum members do this. Do you prefer to have your own tools or do you expect your employer to provide them?

This kindly takes me to my next point. Hope the forum boss doesn't mind?
I have mountains of tools that will not be given to employees ever again, so if anyone needs any tools give us a shout, I'm sure we can come to an arraignment.

Cheers

Eggs

All of the firms that I worked for, from 4 man band to national FM, expected me to provide my own hand tools.

Specialist tools were provided by the firm.

I would also expect power tools to be supplied. If I wear out my own drill then the firm should replace it otherwise someone else can drill the holes etc.

Thanks Brian

Where in your opinion is the line drawn for specialist tools? Are pipe benders, swagers and flaring blocks specialist or hand tools?

Cheers

I would call those specialist, picky maybe but no use to me at home.

If I did private work then I would have to have those tools myself, using company tools on private jobs to my mind is theft unless you have an agreement with your boss.

We supply all equipment except hand tools and basic hand drill ie 18 volt hand drill we supply drill bits all fridge kit torr gauge cap tester etc but no hand tools at all

How does an employee get his hands on brazing equipment nitrogen test rigs etc if you don't supply the specialist tools then the quality of the work will be substandard hand tools spanners screwdrivers should be supplied by the employee,as for the public liability aspect of not supplying specialist tools would open pandoras box in my opinion.

I used to buy all my own as the company supplied ones were ****, but i expected them to replace them when they wore out or were damaged. Lost would be my fault though stolen would not.

I'd expect all specialist tools to be supplied by the company, hand tools supplied by the employee.

I have always provided my own tools and test equipment irrespective of who I have worked for, right down to hiring extreme test equipment for the purpose.
I have employed people with not a lot of anything, they did not last long at all.
Asked " what the hell and how can you form an opinion on a system fault " situation, really high lights the lack of skill and system analysis skills. OK I have high expectations of people I pay max dollars to.
magoo.

Bit late but to add to the others every firm I've worked for I've supplied hand tools. One firm also had to get your own gauges, flare kit, battery drill otherwise benders, swagers, reclaim etc supplied, no one moaned.

Was a bit surprised that the next two firms supplied gauges and flare kit as well as the other special tools. More that was supplied it seemed more staff expected their cracks wiped and biatched if tools were knackered, even through abuse.

Could do with a 13mm spanner so will keep an eye out, know where to look now. :-)

Cheers,
Andy.