What the contract says you bring — and what your contractor owes you
Most Inside Wiremen's Agreements spell out exactly which hand tools a wireman has to show up with, and which ones the contractor furnishes. This list is built from the required-tools sections of those agreements. Tool lists vary from local to local, so check your own hall's agreement before you buy — and if yours is different, send it to us and we'll add it.
Each tool links to a solid option on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
The core list
These 20 tools are required of journeyman and apprentice wiremen on every agreement we've reviewed:
- Channel lock pliers — #420 and #430 (or equivalent), one pair eachChannellock 420 ›Channellock 430 ›
- Side cutting pliers — 8" minimumKlein D2000-9NE ›
- Diagonal cutting pliers — 6"Klein D2286 ›
- Straight claw hammerEstwing E3-16S ›
- Screwdriver — 5" bladeKlein 602-6 ›
- Screwdriver — 8" bladeKlein 602-8 ›
- Adjustable hacksaw frameLenox 12" high-tension ›
- Wire skinning pocket knifeKlein 44218 ›
- Long nose pliersKlein J203-8 ›
- Tool pouch with tool beltKlein 55298H combo belt ›
- Tin snips — Klein #630 (or equivalent)Klein 1202S ›
- Stubby screwdriver — flat blade and PhillipsKlein 85071 stubby set ›
- Phillips screwdriver — size #0Klein 604-3 ›
- Phillips screwdriver — size #1Klein 85074 set (includes #1) ›
- Allen wrench set — 1/8" to 3/8"Klein 70550 ›
- Drywall sawKlein 31737 ›
- Small levelKlein 935RB torpedo ›
- Tap wrench — to 1/4"General Tools 164 ›
- Wire stripperKlein 11055 ›
- Non-contact voltage testerKlein NCVT3P ›
Varies by local
Two items change from agreement to agreement. Here's how to be covered either way:
| Tool | What agreements require | What to carry |
|---|---|---|
| Tape measure (steel rule) | Anywhere from 12' to 25' (3/4" wide minimum) | A 25' tape covers eitherMilwaukee 48-22-0225 › |
| Wrench | Either a 12" adjustable wrench or a wrench set, 5/16" to 3/4" | Carry both — a 12" adjustable and a 5/16"–3/4" setCraftsman CMMT10946 set ›Klein D507-12 › |
Cable splicers add
On top of the full wireman list, a cable splicer furnishes only these:
- Shave hook
- Ball peen hammer
- Scissors
- Lead dresser
- Cable knife
What your contractor has to provide
Inside agreements typically put everything else on the employer, including:
- All other necessary tools and equipment. If it isn't on the required list, it's the contractor's to furnish, not yours to bring.
- PPE at no charge — everything OSHA defines as PPE, including rain gear and FR/Nomex clothing when the job requires it. When FR clothing is required, cleaning it is the employer's responsibility too. New hard hats and sanitary liners only.
- A locked box or safe place for your tools. The employer has to provide one.
- Reimbursement if your required tools are stolen from that locked box, through no fault of your own and documented with the authorities. It covers the tools on the required list only, up to the established value.
- A safety-boot stipend, in some agreements — money toward specialized safety shoes (steel or composite toe) when the customer requires them as a condition of work. One agreement we reviewed pays $175, on your first payday after the requirement starts and once a year while it continues.
- Meters, gauges and instruments for instrumentation work, and shields and leather for anyone welding.
Summarized from the required-tools and employer-furnished sections of Inside Wiremen's Agreements. Your local's agreement is what governs — read it or ask your hall.