What the contract says you bring — and what your contractor owes you
Outside line construction agreements spell out the personal tools a lineman has to show up with. Everything else is on the contractor. This list is built from the required-tools sections of those agreements, so it's the kit a hall expects — not a wish list. Lists vary from local to local, so check your own agreement before you buy, and if yours is different, send it to us.
Looking for the gear linemen actually like carrying — bucket organizers, impact tools, knives? That's our Lineman Tool Guide.
The core list
Every agreement we reviewed requires journeyman linemen to bring these 8 tools:
- Climbers (hooks / spurs) with straps
- Body belt (lineman’s belt)
- Hammer
- Side cutting pliers — 9" Klein-type is the usual spec
- Crescent (adjustable) wrench — 12" or under
- Screwdriver
- Skinning knife
- 6-foot rule — often specified as an all-wood folding rule
Most agreements also require
These show up on many lists but not all. Out of the 10 agreements we reviewed:
| Tool | Required in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Safety strap | 9 of 10 | Usually listed with the body belt |
| Channel lock pliers | 5 of 10 | One agreement specifies 10" |
| A second crescent wrench | 4 of 10 | Two wrenches, 12" or under |
| 1/2" drive ratchet handle | 4 of 10 | One agreement specifies a 12" handle |
| Speed wrenches | 3 of 10 | Typically 1/2"–9/16", 9/16"–3/4", 11/16"–3/4", 13/16"–7/8" |
| Two screwdrivers — one light, one heavy | 3 of 10 | — |
| Long-nose pliers | 2 of 10 | One agreement requires them on underground jobs |
| Lineman’s tool bag | 2 of 10 | One agreement names the Klein #5105 or comparable |
A few agreements also list hand connectors, files, and safety-toed boots where the job requires them.
Groundmen and equipment operators
Where an agreement lists tools for groundmen, it's a short kit — typically pliers or 9" side cutters, a hammer, a crescent wrench, a skinning knife, and a rule or tape. Some agreements have equipment operators bring the hand tools for routine maintenance on the equipment they run.
What your contractor has to provide
Outside agreements typically put everything else on the employer, including:
- All other tools and equipment — including ropes and safety devices, of suitable type and size, in good working condition and enough of them to do the job safely.
- A safe, dry, locked place for your tools and clothing on the job.
- Reimbursement for stolen tools kept in that locked storage — usually only for the tools on the required list, with a police report and signs of forced entry. Several agreements cap a claim at $2,000–$3,000 and require a tool inventory signed on your start date, so fill one out.
- Rubber goods and protective gear — at least one agreement states outright that no one may be required to furnish their own rubber gloves, and some have the employer provide protective clothing for painting, welding, splicing, or oil work.
Cable splicers, where an agreement mentions them, furnish only hand tools.
Summarized from the required-tools and employer-furnished sections of outside line construction agreements. Your local's agreement is what governs — read it or ask your hall.