What items should work provide?

[mech-tech]

OK fellas. A few months back I got hired on as a forklift mechanic at a local small independant dealer/shop. And as expected, was informed that I must provide my own tool, which I know is the typical requirement for a mechanic job, and I had a full box ready to go. My question is, how much would ya'll considered the "expected" amount of tools/equipment that your employer should furnish? I know a mechanic NEVER has everything he will ever need, but lately I've been finding myself spending a descent amout of my check on items that I think should be provided, such as drill bits, funnels, oil drain pans, grease gun, safety equipment, wheel bearing sockets, 3/4 drive impact sockets, etc. Just wondering what and how much other shops furnish to their mechanics?

 

[Zeke]

They provide the consumables and very specialized tools, not 3/4 impacts or hand lube tools. They should supply all the safety equipment required. If you want some kind of shoe or boot, that's on you.

 

[otis66]

Anything over 1-1/4" or 24mm the company should provide. Anything that wears out: drill bits cutters etc.. the company should provide Drain pans funnels grease gun a lifts jack stands should be provided by the company. A $200 tool allowance and a $50 dollar boot alloance. My last job supplied me with a winter coat and fall coat every other year., Carthartt and a $200.00 boot allowance. They should have gave you a tool list. I still have a copy of the tool list my company gave me.

 

[chris142]

I heard somewhere that the usa is the only country that makes employees buy tools. anybody know if yhats true?

 

[metaldad]

You gents have called it good, Zeke and Otis.
Yep, there should be a list somewhere that shows were the line is drawn

 

[KPSquared]

3/4" sockets are hardly a specialized tool. . .(response to op, not Zeke)

Like was said, I would expect them to provide highly specialized tools and consumables (drill bits MAY fall into the category)

Most of what you listed is just part for the course for a fork lift fixer dude.

 

[mech-tech]

I agree that lots of tools are required for the line of work. I was just wondering what is considered "too much" to be required to buy. I have yet to buy any pullers and air tools besides the impact and die grinder, just cause a good set will cost a large percent of my paycheck. About the only thing provided in the entire shop is one drill, one grinder, a 1 inch drive impact for tires, something broken and a building to fix it in. Needless to say, there is a whole lot of "hey, do you have one of those" going on between mechanics.

 

[franzdom]

My company provides all electronic testing equipment and calipers, torque wrenches etc, basically anything that they require to be calibrated annually, and all safety equipment, arc flash gear, gloves. For boots they give an allowance, it doesn't always cover what you choose but it usually comes close.

 

[86k10]

I never had drill bits provided. 1" impact and sockets, big/special wheel bearing sockets, engine specialty tools (sleeve installer/puller), things that you wouldn't buy if you went to another shop.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Im a plumber/pipefitter and my company provides some power tools, rest you end up buying yourself just cause it makes the job easier.

Talking to some of the old timers, they tell me back in the day when the economy was good and buis was good they use to get just about everything purchsed for them besides basic hand tools.

Now its either you work like a dummy, or spend your own $ and work like a gentleman...

 

[transittech]

My shop provides:
3/4 and larger tools
grease guns
drill bits, cutting wheels
oil drain equipment
disposable gloves
earplugs
safety eye wear
$100/year for steel toed boots (but only if you buy new boots)
coveralls
rags

YMMV. Some employers are better than others, as we all know. I'm not picking on your employer, but they obviously don't provide as much as others do.

 

[otis66]

I heard somewhere that the usa is the only country that makes employees buy tools. anybody know if yhats true?

I had to buy my own tools but I read someplace that in eruope some of the jobs supply all of the tools a mechanic needs.

 

[otis66]

I heard somewhere that the usa is the only country that makes employees buy tools. anybody know if yhats true?

I had to buy my own tools but I read someplace that in Europe some of the jobs supply all of the tools a mechanic needs. I heard that NJ Tranit supplies you with a tool box.

 

[otis66]

My job also supplied hand cleaner but it was the worst. I used my own hand cleaner at the end of the day to clean my hands. Snap On Nitro Gold. The best hand cleaner I ever used.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675869&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[CloseEnough]

Anything over 1 1/4" They should provide. Do you need anything else? I might be able to hook you up I have a lot of extra stuff.

 

[bobcatdan]

this varies greatly from field to field. All shops should proived shop equipment, ie benches, vises, jacks, parts washers, presses and stuff of that sort. When I worked on cars, both larger new car dealers, they had the factory speical tools and pullers, thats about it. When I switch to ag, that shop a person could get away with a basic set from sears. They had all the power tools, bits, wrenches and sockets over 1", excators, tap/dies. You get my point, a **** ton. Where I work now, the other, older more estabish shop has just about everything. My shop, the little ******* of the chain, I have the bare, bare minium special tools and a hf 3/4 set. There is a beautiful dake shop press, nice parts washer, two good vise, welder and torch and I even got a new jack. They do supply drill bits, but that is about it. We change skidsteer tire, I bought my own tools and a cheetah, there where no tire tools. I bought my own pullers and bushing drivers. I'm a tool freak so this don't bother me a lot, but it broke the last tech there having to buy everything or rig something.

 

[mech-tech]

I'm just about stablished with the stuff I need, but I do run into the moments where as soon as I get home, I order something that would make the job go easier next time. The way my employer is set up, every job is bidded for a certain number of hours, if I go over that number of hours, he loses money. They are always pushing to hurry, so I tend to look for the "nice to have" tools in order to save a minute here and there.

 

[chris142]

My boss supplies.. ...Disposable gloves,Solvent oils etc air compressor, AC machines and rags. The rest I had to buy including a Northstar Water pump tool that I used once.

 

[bigcaddy]

I have yet to get a job that has given me a "provided tool list" from the get go but ill happily bring my tools from home to make my life easier. I work in a pipe fab shop and i'm the only person with any experience in repairing the tools we use, from Rigid 300 machines to large Landis double header pipe threaders. They already had the Landis specific gauges/tools provided but i furnished the rest. I don't like sitting on my thumbs when something isn't working correctly so i want to be able to get it repaired, asap!

There was a toolbox in the shop full of junk from an auction so i've spent a great deal of time loading it up with "my" tools so i can fix any break that stops us from working. The owners greatly appreciate what i can do and when i ask for consumables such as drills or taps they provide them without balking. All safety equipment is provided.

I would think that the company that hired you should provide all the tools you need to complete the job that they are paying you for. What is cheaper? Paying a tech to stand around and look for/borrow a tool or already have provided it to him so it doesn't happen in the first place.

Just my .02

 

[Stick]

The job I'm in now, and the one before that (both union jobs) have a list of what's provided by the employer. Wrenches over 1 1/2", sockets over 3/4" drive, specialty tools for heavy equipment, pullers, manufacturer based diagnostic tools, leathers and gloves for welding, any consumables (drill bits and taps/dies, rolocs, cutting and grinding discs, etc), required PPE, etc. If you'd like, I could dig out a copy of the employer supplied tool guidelines.

Though just because they are required to provide it, it doesn't mean that I don't have my own. I've got stuff like commonly used pullers and large wrenches and sockets (1" drive), some specialty tools for Caterpillar and Cummins, some of my own rigging and lifting eyes, and taps/dies through 1"/24mm. Most of that stuff is something that I use a lot and don't want to track down every time I want to use it, or a different brand/version of the shop supplied tool that I prefer.

 

[HandyManny]

I heard somewhere that the usa is the only country that makes employees buy tools. anybody know if yhats true?

If you work in a manufacturing facility where the stuff is made the company generally provides tools and equipment.

You are on your own in the mechanic/tech service business here. Every other trade is the same, carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etcetricians, etc for most of their basic tools. For larger equipment the company generally provides it.

When working as an A/P decades ago, the only thing most FBO or facility would provide was work bench/table tops/work surface, vise, air compressors and air hoses, tow equipment, cherry pickers, etc.

 

[ultimateplayer]

Due to FOD and Tool Control requirements my company requires all employees to use only the tools provided by the company. We are a large defense contractor with thousands of employees. Snap-On must love us.

 

[crewchief888]

every heavy eq dealership ive worked for over the last 25+ years has provided all the OEM specified "special" tools, and required software.

all the shops provided jacks, jackstands, presses, 3/4", 1" dr impacts & sockets, (if needed), lifting gear, engine stands, hyd cylinder stand, hyd guages, flow meter.
my current company provides me with a laptop, with the needed software, remote start tool (interface between the laptop & machine). 2 winter jackets, safety glasses.
they used to supply latex gloves, work gloves, winter hats, drill bits, hand grinder, wheels, cutoff wheels, and rolock disks, and if needed a safety vest, and hardhat.
but as usual, somebody had to abuse what was provided, they stopped buying much of anything.
i could ask for nearly anything, within reason, and i'd have it.
didnt bother me that much, i have my own.
they "require" basic hand tools, and a tool storage device
but in this business the basics will only get you so far, before you frustrate yourself, and everyone around you.

last time i checked (15 years ago) i had approx $60K in tools (replacement cost) at the shop.
i have a lot of more specialized tools that havent been used in years, they were bought for specific jobs, or equipment.

 

[Sooosirius]

every heavy eq dealership ive worked for over the last 25+ years has provided all the OEM specified "special" tools, and required software.

all the shops provided jacks, jackstands, presses, 3/4", 1" dr impacts & sockets, (if needed), lifting gear, engine stands, hyd cylinder stand, hyd guages, flow meter.
my current company provides me with a laptop, with the needed software, remote start tool (interface between the laptop & machine). 2 winter jackets, safety glasses.
they used to supply latex gloves, work gloves, winter hats, drill bits, hand grinder, wheels, cutoff wheels, and rolock disks, and if needed a safety vest, and hardhat.
but as usual, somebody had to abuse what was provided, they stopped buying much of anything.
i could ask for nearly anything, within reason, and i'd have it.
didnt bother me that much, i have my own.
they "require" basic hand tools, and a tool storage device
but in this business the basics will only get you so far, before you frustrate yourself, and everyone around you.

last time i checked (15 years ago) i had approx $60K in tools (replacement cost) at the shop.
i have a lot of more specialized tools that havent been used in years, they were bought for specific jobs, or equipment.

+1

I work in a Heavy shop on mobile cranes and just about all the big stuff is provided. Some extras include:

-$400/yr for tools
-$200/yr for boots
-$200 for Metatarsal boots as needed.. not used often so they last
-Shop gets 1 "tool" per month, lately we've been replacing older equipment with new stuff. Last month was a new drill press, next I believe is a heavy duty press.
-They also replace any tool broken on the job if its not already covered under warranty with an equal or better replacement.

 

[Humble Mechanic]

I work for a VW dealer. They provide most of the VW special tools. There are more than just the required. Also flush machines, jacks, scan tools, all consumables, and oil drains. They MUST provide some safety equipment per OSHA.

Beyond that we must buy ALL tools. Plus, do you guys really want to share tools? Think about how long it takes to find tools some times. I like my stuff, I don't want to share.

 

[crewchief888]

+1

I work in a Heavy shop on mobile cranes and just about all the big stuff is provided. Some extras include:

-$400/yr for tools
-$200/yr for boots
-$200 for Metatarsal boots as needed.. not used often so they last
-Shop gets 1 "tool" per month, lately we've been replacing older equipment with new stuff. Last month was a new drill press, next I believe is a heavy duty press.
-They also replace any tool broken on the job if its not already covered under warranty with an equal or better replacement.

company i work for has been pretty good replacing my personal equipment that gets damaged while at work.
i'm a field service mechanic, stuff gets banged around in the truck pretty bad sometimes, they've replaced a few of my hyd guages, a cable comealong, and a broken low side guage on my A/C guages.
i need new hoses, couplers, and hi side guage , they're gonna replace the entire set for me, actually costs about the same for a new set, as it would to repair what i have, and i get to keep my old guage set

for a while we had quite a few real tools working ( and managing) in some of our shops, we bought approx $3500 worth of drill bits, and taps, 6 weeks later, nearly everything was gone, and nobody knew nothing about it.
same thing happened with electrical connectors, tape, tie wraps, rags, papertowels, toilet paper, window cleaner, ect ect.

i dont blame management for stopping providing much of anything...

 

[Sooosirius]

I had to buy my own tools but I read someplace that in Europe some of the jobs supply all of the tools a mechanic needs. I heard that NJ Tranit supplies you with a tool box.

That takes all the fun out of it

 

[crewchief888]

i've been in the steel mill shops that provide proto boxes, proto, williams, SO, channellock, tools to their "mechanics".

you can find a lot of brand new, unused tools at the local pawn shops...

how coincidental.........

 

[Sooosirius]

company i work for has been pretty good replacing my personal equipment that gets damaged while at work.
i'm a field service mechanic, stuff gets banged around in the truck pretty bad sometimes, they've replaced a few of my hyd guages, a cable comealong, and a broken low side guage on my A/C guages.
i need new hoses, couplers, and hi side guage , they're gonna replace the entire set for me, actually costs about the same for a new set, as it would to repair what i have, and i get to keep my old guage set

for a while we had quite a few real tools working ( and managing) in some of our shops, we bought approx $3500 worth of drill bits, and taps, 6 weeks later, nearly everything was gone, and nobody knew nothing about it.
same thing happened with electrical connectors, tape, tie wraps, rags, papertowels, toilet paper, window cleaner, ect ect.

i dont blame management for stopping providing much of anything...

Yeah we used to have problems with stuff "disappearing". A handful of people were let go or left over last few years and now things are pretty good. Shops basically all apprentices now including myself with the excepting of our foreman and one other guy. Only things that go missing end up in a service van. We usually have enough stuff lying around the shop to get the job done anyways that its not really an issue.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

As others have already said - all consumables and misc. shop supplies (wire ties / tape / etc) are on the companies dime along with any specialized tools for jobs specific to that shop. Now, I also have some of that stuff of my own, for speed / convenience sake, but they'd never require me to buy it.
I would never expect the mechanic to buy drill bits to get a job done.....now, I have bought stuff in an emergency to get a job done today, versus waiting on the front office to get me money to go buy it with the companies money -- but then I turn in the receipt and get my money back.
And as to stuff disappearing - we're a small shop, so the Boss or his son are usually the ones taking stuff for their "projects" or personal use.....

 

[cderalow]

OSHA mandates that employers provide all required personal safety equipment necessary to provide for the safety of workers. Where the employee chooses to provide their own PPE, it is the responsiblity of the employer to ensure that it meets the required OSHA guidelines and is in good, proper, maintained condition.

Per OSHA 1926.95(b) & 1926.95(d)

the exceptions to this rule (payment) are:
non-specialty safety-toe footwear or non-specialty safety prescription eyewear
boots with built-in metatarsal guards
everyday clothing, ordinary clothing & weather protection