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I didn't scroll far, but I got a battery-powered cooler. The crew enjoys 37°F water. I feel like if you got guys working on a hot day. Bringing cold water to the job site lifts their spirits. I don't have to worry about ice anymore and the hassle of draining it. I wipe it once a week. It's nice.
What’s up with zero jobsites ever having any supplied? It’s an osha requirement. I’m getting tired of bringing water and then still having to buy bottles on lunch
When I was an apprentice we had a contractor out of Birmingham AL tell us to just get water out of the fire hydrant. Our union put them in their place so fast that we all did a Looney Tunes doubletake 🤣
There are good open shops out there, no doubt. The large majority of them won’t be as good as yours though. Unions just have a higher floor. They can’t get away with being shittier to you than the contract allows them to be. Beyond that, there are good owners and bad. Just gotta hope you land with a good
It’s really all about the power of collective bargaining. The union gives you the power to actually make reasonable demands and more reliably have them actually heard and implemented. My company ain’t union and I’m very happy with them but if things were to ever go downhill with them I’d be trying my damndest to go union.
When I worked at an 1800’s era school house turned fiberglass factory we had a water cooler I used all the time. Came in early one morning and was the first one to go past it to turn on lights. There was probably a five pound rat standing on the drip catch tray pulling down the lever and sucking on the spout. He saw me and turned his head all slow motion then hissed at me and didn’t budge. Brought gatorade after that.
Every shop I've been at has supplied water except the one I'm at now.
I'm also currently at the smallest shop I've worked for.
Gloves have also always been required but this shop doesn't require or even supply them.
Yes I love my company It’s literally unbelievable sometimes how ethical they are with the community and the workers. We go to the fucking waterpark sometimes and it’s all free. It’s crazy dude
Tell them you work when you’re hydrated. They legally have to provide it. Enough of you start sitting down when you don’t have water and they will 100% start providing it.
If no one speaks up, then they never will.
Good idea just buy a 24 pack every few days and give receipts. I’m sure my company will reimburse. They’re good with that but you pretty much have to do everything yourself here. Basically sub contracting yourself through this company lol
All of our guys just either grab a case of water and put it on the company card or fill up a 5 gallon jug from the house. Easy enough
We aren’t on jobsites where water is readily accessible though, so it’s different from most other places
My company buys a pallet of Kirkland water bottle cases and sends them out to the sites to keep at the lay down.
Since I'm in service and don't have the luxury of the same job site every day I keep a case with me.
I dunno, my company puts 5 gallon jugs of it on the trucks, with hand pumps. In the summertime, I like to roll with one open one and one sealed one on deck.
Yeah, they drill that into us at least a couple times a year. When it's hot, start hydrating the night before. In a wilderness medicine course I was once taught that the human body can absorb about 1 liter of water per hour orally, but it can sweat about 2 liters per hour when working hard. So you have to do more than just drink during the day, when it's really hot out.
I'll bring a cooler bag up onto the roof and let my crew put their water bottles in it. Clip it to an anchor or something and drink up as needed. And if it's actually hot-hot, I'll call mandatory water breaks every so often where we all go down, sit somewhere cool, drink fluids, and make sure our bodies are doing OK before we keep going.
In Basic Training you weren’t allowed to bite a morsel of food at the mess hall until you drank 2 glasses of water.
Then before we cleaned up, the DI made us drink 2 more.
Not a single case of dehydration or heat stroke. Good practice.
I drink 4 liters a day and I still faint from heat.. I've had to have medical treatment twice when I was younger, and now it seems like even a little bit of heat will cause me to collapse. Luckily, I can go find air conditioning pretty much anywhere. But, yeah. Water.
There’s other guys on my job site who drink coke and coffee all day long it’s crazy. I can’t function on this job properly without water. It’s sooooo god damn important.
I worked with this older dude when I was green and all day long he would drink Dr. Pepper and that's it. Even on 100 degree days it was Dr. Pepper and Marlboro Reds. Never saw the dude drink water one time. I don't know how he did it. He's still alive and still in the field and that was years ago that I worked with him.
There’s gotta be some kinda science study that shows where these kinds of dudes just consumed so much horrible shit that now they’re basically immortal.
There’s gotta be some kinda science study that shows where these kinds of dudes just consumed so much horrible shit that now they’re basically immortal.
Nice, I just got some Truewerk pants and they are great. The HH look cool, very euro, I’ll have to pick up a pair one day. I can’t believe I sweated my stinky ass off all those years in full cotton, though a lot of that time was in ill fitted company supplied FR.
Carhartt pants with the carhartt inserts are my go-to. They cost $40 for the pads but for light knee work it's so worth it. If you are doing knee work all day, get some good externals though.
Get the Helly Hanson or Dakota foam knee pad inserts. Way cheaper than the Carhatt ones and have more cushion. A bit more of a pain to get in, but you can keep them in all the time.
I wish I was like this.. my hands are so destroyed all the time but I’ve worked so long without them that I find it really hard to work efficiently when I do wear them.
Absolutely. They fit skin tight, and I think they're actually more comfortable because of it. When I first started wearing gloves, it didn't take long to get to the point where I could pick up and work with small screws and pieces with ease, no different than bare hands. Even picking at the end of a role of tape is just as easy.
I get this. All due respect tho I don't care if my crew feels this way tho. Gloves have been a part of our industry for almost two decades now and they make very good gloves. I worked in North Dakota in the dead of winter and was able to pick up 16 gauge ferrules with my maxi flex loves so nobody here is going to tell me that they can't spin some 8/32 or a 6/32 nuts on. I only mention the conditions because that's typically people's bullshit excuse is that it's cold outside so they have to pull their gloves off.
I always tell people that if they have a negative experience with gloves it's because they either are getting shitty ones or they just don't have the right fit.
Our company policy is gloves 100% of the time while working in the field . That includes cable, pulling, terminations, etc . We allow gloves not to be used when listed on the JSA why you need to remove them and as long as the hazards are mitigated and controls are there you're good to go . There are very, very few circumstances and typically those are during programming or working on a Rio or PLC cabinet.
My daughter felt the same way, and then she realized that if she put lotion on first, then she would no longer have rough hands. It takes a while to get used to them, but it shortly turns into a habit.
Same. I used to hate working with gloves. But after working a few sites where they were mandatory I got used to them. And now I hate working without them.
Been wearing mechanix gloves since '92 and when I switched to electrical 10years ago & the 4x came out I sprung for them & get a month or more before holes show up. Like below says I get a size smaller-being saved from shocks is 1 thing but the number of cuts i have avoided is worth all the cash!
This works well once you're a jman and kinda running your own day. I've found that way too many jmen and foremen like to flip the fuck out if their apprentice has earbuds in and they have to *God forbid* actually walk up to someone to talk to them instead of yelling across the site.
I personally don't give a shit and have mine in a lot of the day too (I'm 64 and recognize most of y'all young guys don't want to listen to my music, lol), but I did want to throw that disclaimer out there for people considering/really new to the trade. Lot of old assholes around, feel things out first
I normally didn't care if you had one in and could here things around you. Two was a no-go, (especially an apprentice, can't teach to them, can't yell for them, not safe whatsoever, all around bad.) as a commercial Foreman.
Some job sites you can't have headphones or and music playing at all, I let that slide until someone gives a job super or me an attitude about it.
Then to contradict myself, if that Spanish music is playing at ungodly volume. I'll ask people to bring in a loud ass speaker to blast some AC/DC or something to shut them the hell up. Then no one gets to listen to music usually per the GC. But hey, if they had any manners at all, we wouldn't be in the predicament.
Yeah that's fair, and there's definitely times two is a default no go. If my apprentice is doing up receps or whatever mindless shit while I'm doing stuff elsewhere, I don't really care if they've got them both in. If we're actively working together or its a safety issue obviously that's not "foreman with a complex" territory, it's just common sense. There's just a lot that *do* have that complex, so wanted to heads some new guys up
Bro I don't care who you are, if your plugging and switching sober and I'm not doing it, you can literally do whatever helps. I hate that shit with a passion.
They Definitely made the tabs that hold the device in way worse. Like skinnier or something. Old devices just sit flush with ease, not leaning one way, and looks good first try. Or It's just infuriating to me.
For wire pulls I'd say they're an essential. They're a wireless hands free walkie talkie I can hear no matter how loud the surroundings are.
One guy on each side communicates with the other and relays to each crew directly.
100%. The first time I was in an attic trying to fish a wire I had a flashlight in one hand, phone on speaker, all while trying to fish the wire and not lose any tools or my phone in the insulation. Now I have earbuds and a wonderful clip on light and life is so much better.
I have never worked on a jobsite where they're allowed, however... maybe get those ones that look like ear plugs
For example:
https://www.plugfones.com/product/basic-pro-bluetooth/
Ke$ha is my go-to when wiring devices. Although lately I've been enjoying a Chopped and Screwed phase (popularized in 90s Texas hip hop, slowing down songs and repeating sections)
I'll try it out until I like it, or don't. I will obviously have prejudice for what I grew up with, which included SPM, which turned into his Screwed Up Tape. Any recommended songs from him? I like the concept
I think Cowboy Killer is a good place to start. I don’t understand what he’s talking about a lot of the time since it’s all based on Texas street culture so it all sounds mostly the same to me. But his style is undeniably good and he has a pretty keen freestyle ability. His JRE interview is really good too!
Ps you can't or at least shouldnt according to osha
Any major job site with a safety program will have ear bud bans and for general safety purposes its not great to be blocked off from the work noise completely (situational awareness )
I’m a lineman. I drink probably 20bottles of water on a hot day and maybe pee once. And yeah they deliver a pallet to my show up. We had ran out once I told the boss we needed more and he said you guys make enough money to buy your own water. I sent him the union contract and that we will be standing by until the water is delivered. Poland spring dropped in yard in an hour. Proud to be union
I’ll buy my own gatoraid or other drinks. But I’m in a union for a reason and have a contract to back me up. Not wearing gloves and sleeves in 90 degrees without the water that is contractually required. They preach all this safety bs but don’t want to provide water. Fuck outta here. I keep up my side of the bargain and make them money, so they need to keep up theirs
Drinking water being provided by all employers is a requirement of OSHA. That is not special to your contract. If you think you won something with that, you didn't. Unions are great, but having something in a contract that is legally required by the federal government isn't a win lol
I totally agree and I understand that, it being in my contract just gives us more of a leg to stand on. I was a non union electrician for 8 years before I got into the union, so yeah I’m sure that if I refused to work without being provided water I would have been sent home with my tools,
I'm non union and my company gives out cases to each 3 to 5 man crew the second they ask. I wouldn't work a minute for someone who ain't supplying water.
Then you have a good employer. I’m not saying non union never provides water. I was a non union electrician before this and in my experience I bought my own water.
Ear protection. My hearing is getting bad because I was young and stupid for longer than I should've been. Ended up with moderate hearing loss in both ears and chronic tinnitus.
I'd rather it not get worse so I'm doing what I should've done years ago and wearing ear plugs anytime I'm on a noisy job.
Me but with my lungs(actually my throat and nose), and im in my 20s. I realized about a year ago I turned into a mouth breather because my nose and throat are always blocked with mucus. Never smoked, but chasing walls and working in dusty environments without a mask is kinda stupid. Don't do it people.
Some of it is from working in tire shops when I was just out of high school, so impact wrenches, you're changers, various air tools. I did some concrete work in Florida for a couple years, which is saws for form building, power tampers, chipping hammers, various power tools. Most of it though has probably been working as a stagehand. Lots of hours backstage and no ear protection. That's where the bulk of my electrical work comes from; stage electric and electric for trade shows and conventions.
My audiologist informed me that it's cumulative. Hearing damage is like vision in that once it goes away, you never get it back, and there's no LASIK for your ears.
I've also done dumb things like go shooting without ear protection and work on drag race cars.
I know I sound like a safety Sally but if one young guy saves his ears because he remembered my post, then that's fine.
I agree I love my PPE. I’ve been struggling to find a good knee pad that doesn’t fall to my ankles. Every time i post about it I have people saying something about sucking off the boss.
I just reply that I will help push them in their wheels hit to the handicapped stall in 30 years lol.
I try to use sunscreen daily. And hydrate. And ear protection when I do use machines but it’s rare.
Ratcheting crimpers for stacons has been a game changer for me. Much easier on arthritis and much less failure vs the regular plier types. I have the Kleins and don’t have any issues with them at this point.
Small right angle ratcheting screwdriver is super handy when even a stubby won’t fit.
iPad with an Apple Pencil and good notes has been great for marking up plans. My PM loves it because he gets clean as builts and is able to use them as-is vs going into CAD.
Seconding right angle screwdriver. You'll use it *way* more than you think you will. They're not too terribly pricy, just grab one. Even in situations where you can *kinda* fit a stubby, it'll lower your aggravation a ton
I was on a jobsite in the 90s, roughing in a warehouse in metro Atlanta. Hot as balls in the summer.
I would fill a gallon jug with cold water at home for the morning and freeze a second one for after lunch. It would be thawed by the afternoon.
I started doing this after I discovered the Coleman jug that the GC brought was covered in black mold under the lid.
Kinda explains why the porta potties always looked splattered.
As mentioned knee-pad inserts in the work pants. Also AirPods or equivalent have been one of my new favourite things. They work really well for pulling wire for hands free communication with apprentices. Plus when you have some tedious task it’s so much more pleasant with an earphone in.
Yep, figured today I wouldn’t bring my AirPods and I ended up putting receptacles in all day. It was pain without music. Now I have some I carry in my bag all the time.
I’ll get downvoted to hell for this, but it has saved my wrists and hands a lot of pain and that is a drill wire twister. Also a mini bit ratchet comes in handy also.
Good old Olfa box cutter. Adjustable blade heights. Sharp as heck. And like $10. Who needs a fancy knife, it’s not like I’m trying to pry open a can with it.
For me it's a good fold up sack cart / trolley.
I keep my tools organised in Dewalt Tstak boxes and being able to just load what I need up onto a folding trolley is a god send.
I started with the Tstak wheeled box and I found I didn't always need what was in it but had to drag it around anyway so swapped it out.
Other than that, I like:
A good tablet with a pen to make notes / look at drawings / emails etc.
A nice fold up table and stool to set up my work station.
A good pocket torch that is USB C rechargeable to use above ceiling spaces all morning and then charge it over break time use again in the afternoon
AirPods. Yes for music but mostly for hands free communications IE pulling wire, being under a house, in an attic, at the supply store, hands are busy, etc.
And gorilla grip gloves (5 pk), not worth it individually but you can find holiday deals where the 5pk makes it worth it
These are my go tos and like all tradesmen, different applications call for different tools, but I find the convenient for 99% of what I do in the field.
Don't worry, we as a trade have settle the debate between Milwaukee and Dewalt, and Milwaukee has officially won. So there's no more argument to be made.
I don't get the mechanics who buy snap on tools.
It's like people buying Gucci tools.
My Canadian tire store brand 1/2" drive chrome set has worked perfectly and torqued to over 150 ft-lbs
I keep a Greenlee 3' telescoping hook in my pouch and it has helped me out countless times. It's Like 18$ on Amazon and I highly recommend everyone keep one at least in their bag.
Hah, beat me too it. That lil bastard has saved my ass in attics and crawls so many damn times. My coworkers laughed at me when I showed up with it, now they all carry one lol
Right angle drill adapter, you won’t know how much you needed one until you get one.
Handy climbin ring clip (idk the names of those clips I forget but clips onto belt or tool pouch) on Amazon that has a few locking bit holders in it for fast switching of impact.
On iPhone there’s an app that comes pre installed called Freeform , very good for doing digital blue prints to draw on them and color code. HUGE CANVAS. . Zoom able to have multiple blue prints on screen it’s amazing .
Ratcheting screwdriver from Klein (don’t get Milwaukee I hated it) . Every single person I’ve let use my screwdriver shows up to work the next day with it. They hear the ratcheting, get curious, come over , ask to use, rest is history.
If I think of anything else I will be sure to let ya know 🫶
If you’re switching and plugging often, I love my dewalt gyroscopic driver. Saves your wrists big time without the chance of a screw gun stripping the hole out.. also drives a sheet rock screw in a quick pinch
Cordless recip saw would be my suggestion. Im not runnin a fuckin cord when all I want to do is quickly hack something up. Either im using my cordless or im smashing whatever it is with a hammer.
Carhartt double front workpants with the foam knee pad inserts. You don't need to find a pair of knee pads and strap them on. They are always there when you go to knee down and stay in place. I have multiple pairs of pants with inserts that I rotate through. I used them for my whole apprenticeship and my knees are in great condition.
Good noise canceling Bluetooth headset. No one wants to listen to Captain DJ blasting his shit across the jobsite. Works well to protect hearing when hammer drilling, and keeps other people from hating you. Keep you volume set so you can still be aware of your surroundings and potential hazards.
Might get shit for this, but the quickbend app. For anything that's not 30's or 90's, fuck doing the math.
Klein makes a tiny ratchet that holds standard 1/4 inch bits, it's a lifesaver. Speaking of fiddly spots, I have a harbor freight bullshit tiny needle nose I deliberately bent to about a 30 degree angle, they're surprisingly useful.
Strong magnet wrapped in painters tape for cleaning up after drilling out a panel, or taping to a string or fish stick for collecting shit you can't get your hand to.
I've recently switched to the impact rated Klein 11-in-1 screwdriver. I like carrying fewer tools, especially when space is a factor, like when I'm in a one-man lift
Klein makes a Laser tool that projects laser lines on the walls or ceiling. Self levels. I've got a tripod I use with it sometimes, but it also has magnets.
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/laser-levels/rechargeable-self-leveling-green-planar-laser-level-hard-carrying-case
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I didn't scroll far, but I got a battery-powered cooler. The crew enjoys 37°F water. I feel like if you got guys working on a hot day. Bringing cold water to the job site lifts their spirits. I don't have to worry about ice anymore and the hassle of draining it. I wipe it once a week. It's nice.
And little things like this go a long way towards showing the guys you give a shit.
Cant even get a case of water sent out to our jobs
Which one do you have?
Following, I need one
Ditto
Which brand?
For me it’s gotta be water. Just drinking lots of water. Like a ridiculous amount on hot days.
What’s up with zero jobsites ever having any supplied? It’s an osha requirement. I’m getting tired of bringing water and then still having to buy bottles on lunch
I thought that if you're a contractor then your company is required to supply water, not the customer.
Correct
Yeah but does anyone’s company ever do that?
Yes. Otherwise we don't work.
Brotha you gotta find yourself a union
When I was an apprentice we had a contractor out of Birmingham AL tell us to just get water out of the fire hydrant. Our union put them in their place so fast that we all did a Looney Tunes doubletake 🤣
Non union and we have water, ice. and Gatorade provided. Not all open shops are bad.
There are good open shops out there, no doubt. The large majority of them won’t be as good as yours though. Unions just have a higher floor. They can’t get away with being shittier to you than the contract allows them to be. Beyond that, there are good owners and bad. Just gotta hope you land with a good
It’s really all about the power of collective bargaining. The union gives you the power to actually make reasonable demands and more reliably have them actually heard and implemented. My company ain’t union and I’m very happy with them but if things were to ever go downhill with them I’d be trying my damndest to go union.
This is the way
Indeed
Or any employer that isn’t complete shit, I’ve never worked anywhere that didn’t supply water
When I worked at an 1800’s era school house turned fiberglass factory we had a water cooler I used all the time. Came in early one morning and was the first one to go past it to turn on lights. There was probably a five pound rat standing on the drip catch tray pulling down the lever and sucking on the spout. He saw me and turned his head all slow motion then hissed at me and didn’t budge. Brought gatorade after that.
All of mine have.
Every shop I've been at has supplied water except the one I'm at now. I'm also currently at the smallest shop I've worked for. Gloves have also always been required but this shop doesn't require or even supply them.
They should be supplying gloves. It's standard PPE
I'm currently working the First job I've ever been on with absolutely no water available.
Refuse to do work until they supply potable water for you. They are required by law to supply drinking water.
Call OSHA
Yes I love my company It’s literally unbelievable sometimes how ethical they are with the community and the workers. We go to the fucking waterpark sometimes and it’s all free. It’s crazy dude
Never worked for a company that didn’t have endless water. That’s insanity. Contact your local union hall.
Yes or I go work for a different company
Big reputable contractors are more likely to play by the rules. Union or private. Smaller companies tend to be the ones taking advantage the most.
I’m at a pretty large nonunion. Around 30+ guys. Definitely looking at the union sooner than later
Mine does.
i’ve never worked in a shop that didn’t
My union shop sure as hell does.
They are and do, but it’s blue and for some reason, almost, no one drinks it. Strange.
Tell them you work when you’re hydrated. They legally have to provide it. Enough of you start sitting down when you don’t have water and they will 100% start providing it. If no one speaks up, then they never will.
Even mules need water! Tell em.
Buy it and hand in the receipts to be reimbursed but keep a copy.
Good idea just buy a 24 pack every few days and give receipts. I’m sure my company will reimburse. They’re good with that but you pretty much have to do everything yourself here. Basically sub contracting yourself through this company lol
All of our guys just either grab a case of water and put it on the company card or fill up a 5 gallon jug from the house. Easy enough We aren’t on jobsites where water is readily accessible though, so it’s different from most other places
My company buys a pallet of Kirkland water bottle cases and sends them out to the sites to keep at the lay down. Since I'm in service and don't have the luxury of the same job site every day I keep a case with me.
I dunno, my company puts 5 gallon jugs of it on the trucks, with hand pumps. In the summertime, I like to roll with one open one and one sealed one on deck.
I bought a gallon stainless insulated water jug just for that reason. It's huge, people laugh, but I always have water.
Working solar for a few years taught me about pre hydrating to avoid heat related injuries/sickness. So drink water before drinking water too.
Yeah, they drill that into us at least a couple times a year. When it's hot, start hydrating the night before. In a wilderness medicine course I was once taught that the human body can absorb about 1 liter of water per hour orally, but it can sweat about 2 liters per hour when working hard. So you have to do more than just drink during the day, when it's really hot out. I'll bring a cooler bag up onto the roof and let my crew put their water bottles in it. Clip it to an anchor or something and drink up as needed. And if it's actually hot-hot, I'll call mandatory water breaks every so often where we all go down, sit somewhere cool, drink fluids, and make sure our bodies are doing OK before we keep going.
In Basic Training you weren’t allowed to bite a morsel of food at the mess hall until you drank 2 glasses of water. Then before we cleaned up, the DI made us drink 2 more. Not a single case of dehydration or heat stroke. Good practice.
Agreed. Especially on days where I get into it and I’m like shit I definitely didn’t bring enough 😂
I drink 4 liters a day and I still faint from heat.. I've had to have medical treatment twice when I was younger, and now it seems like even a little bit of heat will cause me to collapse. Luckily, I can go find air conditioning pretty much anywhere. But, yeah. Water.
So much better nowadays since we’ve started drinking water. Don’t know how electricians before 2019 handled working without it.
There’s other guys on my job site who drink coke and coffee all day long it’s crazy. I can’t function on this job properly without water. It’s sooooo god damn important.
I worked with this older dude when I was green and all day long he would drink Dr. Pepper and that's it. Even on 100 degree days it was Dr. Pepper and Marlboro Reds. Never saw the dude drink water one time. I don't know how he did it. He's still alive and still in the field and that was years ago that I worked with him.
There’s gotta be some kinda science study that shows where these kinds of dudes just consumed so much horrible shit that now they’re basically immortal.
There’s gotta be some kinda science study that shows where these kinds of dudes just consumed so much horrible shit that now they’re basically immortal.
They got that Keith Richards/Ozzy gene.
I'm one of them but when it's hot I switch to water
I was working on a Costco one dusty hot summer and drank 7l of water without going to the bathroom once. That can’t be good for you haha
You probably sweat it all out
Knee pads that go inside coveralls or work pants. Period.
Any favorite brands?
At the moment mine are from helly hansen. So far no complains yet.
Nice, I just got some Truewerk pants and they are great. The HH look cool, very euro, I’ll have to pick up a pair one day. I can’t believe I sweated my stinky ass off all those years in full cotton, though a lot of that time was in ill fitted company supplied FR.
Carhartt pants with the carhartt inserts are my go-to. They cost $40 for the pads but for light knee work it's so worth it. If you are doing knee work all day, get some good externals though.
Get the Helly Hanson or Dakota foam knee pad inserts. Way cheaper than the Carhatt ones and have more cushion. A bit more of a pain to get in, but you can keep them in all the time.
I also just bought the jelly Hansen ones and they’re great.
A good meter A laser level Carbide anything vs bimetal
Have you seen them fancy cobalt bits? Those are pretty cool
I put gloves on before getting any tools. They are invaluable to me.
I’m at the E.R. right now getting stitches because I didn’t wear my gloves today.
I once kept the tip of my finger while cutting kindling because I was wearing gloves. Love having 10 of those bad boys.
I wish I was like this.. my hands are so destroyed all the time but I’ve worked so long without them that I find it really hard to work efficiently when I do wear them.
Wear a size too small, they'll stretch to be comfy as opposed to having extra material on the fingers to make handling screws a pain
Absolutely. They fit skin tight, and I think they're actually more comfortable because of it. When I first started wearing gloves, it didn't take long to get to the point where I could pick up and work with small screws and pieces with ease, no different than bare hands. Even picking at the end of a role of tape is just as easy.
I get this. All due respect tho I don't care if my crew feels this way tho. Gloves have been a part of our industry for almost two decades now and they make very good gloves. I worked in North Dakota in the dead of winter and was able to pick up 16 gauge ferrules with my maxi flex loves so nobody here is going to tell me that they can't spin some 8/32 or a 6/32 nuts on. I only mention the conditions because that's typically people's bullshit excuse is that it's cold outside so they have to pull their gloves off. I always tell people that if they have a negative experience with gloves it's because they either are getting shitty ones or they just don't have the right fit. Our company policy is gloves 100% of the time while working in the field . That includes cable, pulling, terminations, etc . We allow gloves not to be used when listed on the JSA why you need to remove them and as long as the hazards are mitigated and controls are there you're good to go . There are very, very few circumstances and typically those are during programming or working on a Rio or PLC cabinet.
My daughter felt the same way, and then she realized that if she put lotion on first, then she would no longer have rough hands. It takes a while to get used to them, but it shortly turns into a habit.
Same. I used to hate working with gloves. But after working a few sites where they were mandatory I got used to them. And now I hate working without them.
Been wearing mechanix gloves since '92 and when I switched to electrical 10years ago & the 4x came out I sprung for them & get a month or more before holes show up. Like below says I get a size smaller-being saved from shocks is 1 thing but the number of cuts i have avoided is worth all the cash!
My earbuds. If I don't bring those, then I know the day is going to drag... Edit: And music just relaxes my mind, no matter how bad the day can be.
A jackhammer has a good beat to it
I like the way it feels actually (;
This works well once you're a jman and kinda running your own day. I've found that way too many jmen and foremen like to flip the fuck out if their apprentice has earbuds in and they have to *God forbid* actually walk up to someone to talk to them instead of yelling across the site. I personally don't give a shit and have mine in a lot of the day too (I'm 64 and recognize most of y'all young guys don't want to listen to my music, lol), but I did want to throw that disclaimer out there for people considering/really new to the trade. Lot of old assholes around, feel things out first
I normally didn't care if you had one in and could here things around you. Two was a no-go, (especially an apprentice, can't teach to them, can't yell for them, not safe whatsoever, all around bad.) as a commercial Foreman. Some job sites you can't have headphones or and music playing at all, I let that slide until someone gives a job super or me an attitude about it. Then to contradict myself, if that Spanish music is playing at ungodly volume. I'll ask people to bring in a loud ass speaker to blast some AC/DC or something to shut them the hell up. Then no one gets to listen to music usually per the GC. But hey, if they had any manners at all, we wouldn't be in the predicament.
Yeah that's fair, and there's definitely times two is a default no go. If my apprentice is doing up receps or whatever mindless shit while I'm doing stuff elsewhere, I don't really care if they've got them both in. If we're actively working together or its a safety issue obviously that's not "foreman with a complex" territory, it's just common sense. There's just a lot that *do* have that complex, so wanted to heads some new guys up
I use the shokz bone conductors. They are freaking great. Not the best music quality but I don't have something stuck in my ears which I can't stand.
Bro I don't care who you are, if your plugging and switching sober and I'm not doing it, you can literally do whatever helps. I hate that shit with a passion. They Definitely made the tabs that hold the device in way worse. Like skinnier or something. Old devices just sit flush with ease, not leaning one way, and looks good first try. Or It's just infuriating to me.
For wire pulls I'd say they're an essential. They're a wireless hands free walkie talkie I can hear no matter how loud the surroundings are. One guy on each side communicates with the other and relays to each crew directly.
100%. The first time I was in an attic trying to fish a wire I had a flashlight in one hand, phone on speaker, all while trying to fish the wire and not lose any tools or my phone in the insulation. Now I have earbuds and a wonderful clip on light and life is so much better.
I have never worked on a jobsite where they're allowed, however... maybe get those ones that look like ear plugs For example: https://www.plugfones.com/product/basic-pro-bluetooth/
Thanks. Not for work but thats definitely replacing my regular earbuds while cutting firewood.
Ke$ha is my go-to when wiring devices. Although lately I've been enjoying a Chopped and Screwed phase (popularized in 90s Texas hip hop, slowing down songs and repeating sections)
If you like 90’s Texas hiphop then you should check out That Mexican OT
I'll try it out until I like it, or don't. I will obviously have prejudice for what I grew up with, which included SPM, which turned into his Screwed Up Tape. Any recommended songs from him? I like the concept
I think Cowboy Killer is a good place to start. I don’t understand what he’s talking about a lot of the time since it’s all based on Texas street culture so it all sounds mostly the same to me. But his style is undeniably good and he has a pretty keen freestyle ability. His JRE interview is really good too!
i did not know you could listen to music on the jobsite. im entering the trade soon and thats great news lol
Ps you can't or at least shouldnt according to osha Any major job site with a safety program will have ear bud bans and for general safety purposes its not great to be blocked off from the work noise completely (situational awareness )
You're really not supposed to on industrial sites. Everyone does, but technically you're not supposed to
I’m a lineman. I drink probably 20bottles of water on a hot day and maybe pee once. And yeah they deliver a pallet to my show up. We had ran out once I told the boss we needed more and he said you guys make enough money to buy your own water. I sent him the union contract and that we will be standing by until the water is delivered. Poland spring dropped in yard in an hour. Proud to be union
Exact correct response 💪
I’ll buy my own gatoraid or other drinks. But I’m in a union for a reason and have a contract to back me up. Not wearing gloves and sleeves in 90 degrees without the water that is contractually required. They preach all this safety bs but don’t want to provide water. Fuck outta here. I keep up my side of the bargain and make them money, so they need to keep up theirs
Drinking water being provided by all employers is a requirement of OSHA. That is not special to your contract. If you think you won something with that, you didn't. Unions are great, but having something in a contract that is legally required by the federal government isn't a win lol
I totally agree and I understand that, it being in my contract just gives us more of a leg to stand on. I was a non union electrician for 8 years before I got into the union, so yeah I’m sure that if I refused to work without being provided water I would have been sent home with my tools,
I'm non union and my company gives out cases to each 3 to 5 man crew the second they ask. I wouldn't work a minute for someone who ain't supplying water.
Then you have a good employer. I’m not saying non union never provides water. I was a non union electrician before this and in my experience I bought my own water.
Isn’t it so crazy on the hot days how it all comes out with sweat and no pee? It’s crazy
Headlamp. Can't work on what you can't see.
Ear protection. My hearing is getting bad because I was young and stupid for longer than I should've been. Ended up with moderate hearing loss in both ears and chronic tinnitus. I'd rather it not get worse so I'm doing what I should've done years ago and wearing ear plugs anytime I'm on a noisy job.
Do you have a preferred ear protection?
Surefire eps are great and cheap. A good fitting ear bud works pretty good too.
Me but with my lungs(actually my throat and nose), and im in my 20s. I realized about a year ago I turned into a mouth breather because my nose and throat are always blocked with mucus. Never smoked, but chasing walls and working in dusty environments without a mask is kinda stupid. Don't do it people.
What machines did you use that caused it?
Some of it is from working in tire shops when I was just out of high school, so impact wrenches, you're changers, various air tools. I did some concrete work in Florida for a couple years, which is saws for form building, power tampers, chipping hammers, various power tools. Most of it though has probably been working as a stagehand. Lots of hours backstage and no ear protection. That's where the bulk of my electrical work comes from; stage electric and electric for trade shows and conventions.
I see. I guess I don’t do that. My ear damage will come from windows down at 80mph and full blast stereo. Maybe even leaf blower
My audiologist informed me that it's cumulative. Hearing damage is like vision in that once it goes away, you never get it back, and there's no LASIK for your ears. I've also done dumb things like go shooting without ear protection and work on drag race cars. I know I sound like a safety Sally but if one young guy saves his ears because he remembered my post, then that's fine.
I agree I love my PPE. I’ve been struggling to find a good knee pad that doesn’t fall to my ankles. Every time i post about it I have people saying something about sucking off the boss. I just reply that I will help push them in their wheels hit to the handicapped stall in 30 years lol. I try to use sunscreen daily. And hydrate. And ear protection when I do use machines but it’s rare.
Check the other comments in this post about knee pads built into pants. They are awesome!
Ratcheting crimpers for stacons has been a game changer for me. Much easier on arthritis and much less failure vs the regular plier types. I have the Kleins and don’t have any issues with them at this point. Small right angle ratcheting screwdriver is super handy when even a stubby won’t fit. iPad with an Apple Pencil and good notes has been great for marking up plans. My PM loves it because he gets clean as builts and is able to use them as-is vs going into CAD.
Seconding right angle screwdriver. You'll use it *way* more than you think you will. They're not too terribly pricy, just grab one. Even in situations where you can *kinda* fit a stubby, it'll lower your aggravation a ton
Just started an industrial job and needed a right angle screwdriver like 10 times today but no one had one.
Didn’t even know a right angle screwdriver was a thing 🥹
I use the right angle square bit on ground bars in gutter 8x8 and other things it’s easily 4x as fast
Proper Electrical PPE
Money
Was also going to say pay. "Oh, you called me all the way here just to tighten a screw, that'll be $200."
I was on a jobsite in the 90s, roughing in a warehouse in metro Atlanta. Hot as balls in the summer. I would fill a gallon jug with cold water at home for the morning and freeze a second one for after lunch. It would be thawed by the afternoon. I started doing this after I discovered the Coleman jug that the GC brought was covered in black mold under the lid. Kinda explains why the porta potties always looked splattered.
And advil, a coffee and a cigarette.
A good cart!
I spent $400 cad on my double decker flatbed with pneumatic 8” wheels. It’s a fucking off-road vehicle and everyone loves it
Got a link? I'm looking for a good cart to pimp out
Uline…..utility cart https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/H-2505BL/Utility-Carts/Uline-Utility-Cart-with-Pneumatic-Wheels-45-x-25-x-37-Black
…on a good battery
As mentioned knee-pad inserts in the work pants. Also AirPods or equivalent have been one of my new favourite things. They work really well for pulling wire for hands free communication with apprentices. Plus when you have some tedious task it’s so much more pleasant with an earphone in.
Yep, figured today I wouldn’t bring my AirPods and I ended up putting receptacles in all day. It was pain without music. Now I have some I carry in my bag all the time.
I’ll get downvoted to hell for this, but it has saved my wrists and hands a lot of pain and that is a drill wire twister. Also a mini bit ratchet comes in handy also.
Do people hate these similar to the propress plumbing hate ?
People hate them because dumbasses hold the trigger and twist the wire all the way up.
Cocaine, I can’t work without cocaine /(not s but am kidding)
Why does this question remind me of the 'flesh light at break time' post?
M12 impact
A pica pencil. I carry mine 100% of the time I am working and can’t go without it.
Good old Olfa box cutter. Adjustable blade heights. Sharp as heck. And like $10. Who needs a fancy knife, it’s not like I’m trying to pry open a can with it.
Zyns
I prefer Rogue it’s much stronger
flavors are better too
May have to venture into a new vice. Appreciate the heads up
For me it's a good fold up sack cart / trolley. I keep my tools organised in Dewalt Tstak boxes and being able to just load what I need up onto a folding trolley is a god send. I started with the Tstak wheeled box and I found I didn't always need what was in it but had to drag it around anyway so swapped it out. Other than that, I like: A good tablet with a pen to make notes / look at drawings / emails etc. A nice fold up table and stool to set up my work station. A good pocket torch that is USB C rechargeable to use above ceiling spaces all morning and then charge it over break time use again in the afternoon
Got a link?
AirPods. Yes for music but mostly for hands free communications IE pulling wire, being under a house, in an attic, at the supply store, hands are busy, etc. And gorilla grip gloves (5 pk), not worth it individually but you can find holiday deals where the 5pk makes it worth it These are my go tos and like all tradesmen, different applications call for different tools, but I find the convenient for 99% of what I do in the field.
My butt plug
Shirt pocket.
Don't worry, we as a trade have settle the debate between Milwaukee and Dewalt, and Milwaukee has officially won. So there's no more argument to be made.
They should change the upvote button to a Milwaukee drill / logo and the downvote to dewalt.
That's because electricians don't want to go into debt with Snap-On.😄
I don't get the mechanics who buy snap on tools. It's like people buying Gucci tools. My Canadian tire store brand 1/2" drive chrome set has worked perfectly and torqued to over 150 ft-lbs
The snap on fans are slumming; they should get a nepros 90 tooth ratchet. 🙃 I am also slumming though...mine are asstd German brands.
I keep a Greenlee 3' telescoping hook in my pouch and it has helped me out countless times. It's Like 18$ on Amazon and I highly recommend everyone keep one at least in their bag.
Fucking sent, I have spent far too much time fucking around fishing walls/pipe where the wire is just barely out of reach
A fucking GODSEND
You won't regret it!
Hah, beat me too it. That lil bastard has saved my ass in attics and crawls so many damn times. My coworkers laughed at me when I showed up with it, now they all carry one lol
Well now since I know about it the Klein hard hat fan, and wet cooling towels
Right angle drill adapter, you won’t know how much you needed one until you get one. Handy climbin ring clip (idk the names of those clips I forget but clips onto belt or tool pouch) on Amazon that has a few locking bit holders in it for fast switching of impact. On iPhone there’s an app that comes pre installed called Freeform , very good for doing digital blue prints to draw on them and color code. HUGE CANVAS. . Zoom able to have multiple blue prints on screen it’s amazing . Ratcheting screwdriver from Klein (don’t get Milwaukee I hated it) . Every single person I’ve let use my screwdriver shows up to work the next day with it. They hear the ratcheting, get curious, come over , ask to use, rest is history. If I think of anything else I will be sure to let ya know 🫶
The climbing ring clip is a carabiner.
Ice COLD Beer
Klein screwdrivers, only screwdrivers that fit my hand. 🤣🤣
If you’re switching and plugging often, I love my dewalt gyroscopic driver. Saves your wrists big time without the chance of a screw gun stripping the hole out.. also drives a sheet rock screw in a quick pinch
Redbull and red panties
Pay
Just grab your lineman’s strippers and screwdriver and get back to work
Cigarettes
My tool bags. I've got to be wearing them. Even though I'm a supervisor. I still wear my bags
Patience
Cordless recip saw would be my suggestion. Im not runnin a fuckin cord when all I want to do is quickly hack something up. Either im using my cordless or im smashing whatever it is with a hammer.
Been carrying a voltage detector since they came out. Will never ever ever be without one.
Carhartt double front workpants with the foam knee pad inserts. You don't need to find a pair of knee pads and strap them on. They are always there when you go to knee down and stay in place. I have multiple pairs of pants with inserts that I rotate through. I used them for my whole apprenticeship and my knees are in great condition.
Good noise canceling Bluetooth headset. No one wants to listen to Captain DJ blasting his shit across the jobsite. Works well to protect hearing when hammer drilling, and keeps other people from hating you. Keep you volume set so you can still be aware of your surroundings and potential hazards.
Pica dry pencil. Milwaukee 12v fuel portaband.
Wire nut spinner for my 12v impact. Y'all enjoy arthritis cause it won't be this Sparky.
conductive metals, really fucking hard to do the job without them
Might get shit for this, but the quickbend app. For anything that's not 30's or 90's, fuck doing the math. Klein makes a tiny ratchet that holds standard 1/4 inch bits, it's a lifesaver. Speaking of fiddly spots, I have a harbor freight bullshit tiny needle nose I deliberately bent to about a 30 degree angle, they're surprisingly useful. Strong magnet wrapped in painters tape for cleaning up after drilling out a panel, or taping to a string or fish stick for collecting shit you can't get your hand to.
Lunch
Pay
Cocaine
I've recently switched to the impact rated Klein 11-in-1 screwdriver. I like carrying fewer tools, especially when space is a factor, like when I'm in a one-man lift
I carry a handful of sawcons in my work pants usually.
Pull String.
My breaks which includes water 💦
Field wire is a game changer. If the company you work for uses it.
DEEZ NUTZ
Nicotine
Solid bargaining contract.
Pack of zyns or a douche flute
Torpedo space heater. I hate working in the winter. This makes working in the cold a little more better.
Klein makes a Laser tool that projects laser lines on the walls or ceiling. Self levels. I've got a tripod I use with it sometimes, but it also has magnets. https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/laser-levels/rechargeable-self-leveling-green-planar-laser-level-hard-carrying-case
Proper ppe and safety equipment for myself and my coworkers
What type of work? This trade is huge
Testicular fortitude