Portable Tools and Extension Cords

Employers are responsible for maintaining in good repair any tools and equipment supplied to workers. Workers must use tools and equipment properly and report any defects to supervisors.

The Construction Regulation requires that tools and equipment be used according to manufacturers’ operating manuals, that operating manuals for tools and equipment rated at more than 10 horsepower be kept readily available on the project, and that tools and equipment be inspected regularly.

Portable tools and extension cords must be in a condition that does not endanger a worker. They must be used according to their operating manuals. Neither can be used:

  • if they are defective or hazardous;
  • when the weather or other conditions would make their use dangerous to workers;
  • while they are being repaired or serviced, unless that work requires them to be operated.

Note that workers who are not qualified electricians may plug in or unplug a electrical equipment from a receptacle.

Portable tools, on the project, that are rated at greater than 10 horsepower must:

  • have all operating manuals available
  • be inspected by a competent worker determining if they can handle their rated capacity and identifying any defects or hazardous conditions
  • be inspected when first used on the project and at least once a year, or more frequently if recommended by the manufacturer

Replacement parts for portable tools and extension cords must:

  • have at least the same safety factor as the original parts
  • have no modification to, extension to, repair to or replacement of a part that could reduce the safety factor

Portable tools and extension cords cannot make electrical contact with energized electrical equipment, installations, or conductors.

Extension cords on projects must have a grounding conductor and at least two other conductors.

All cord connections must:

  • have a casting that is adequately grounded and be polarized or,
  • be adequately double-insulated and whose insulated casing shows no evidence of cracks or defects

When using a portable electrical tool outdoors or in a wet location, the tool must be plugged into a receptacle that is protected by a Class A type ground fault circuit interrupter. The exception is if the source of power is an ungrounded portable generator (having a maximum output of 1.8 kilowatts or less), a ground fault circuit interrupter of the Class A type must be located in the cord feeding the tool, as close to the tool as possible.

When tools are out of order and may be a hazard, immediately disconnect and remove them from service. All tools that are out of order must also be tagged as such.

Construction Projects
O. Reg. 213/91

Part II GENERAL CONSTRUCTION

Section 93

93. (1) All vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment shall be maintained in a condition that does not endanger a worker.

(2) No vehicle, machine, tool or equipment shall be used,

(a) while it is defective or hazardous;

(b) when the weather or other conditions are such that its use is likely to endanger a worker; or

(c) while it is being repaired or serviced, unless the repair or servicing requires that it be operated.

(3) All vehicles, machines, tools and equipment shall be used in accordance with any operating manuals issued by the manufacturers.

(4) For vehicles, machines, tools and equipment rated at greater than 10 horsepower, copies of any operating manuals issued by the manufacturers shall be kept readily available at the project.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 25]

Section 94

94. (1) All mechanically-powered vehicles, machines, tools and equipment rated at greater than 10 horsepower shall be inspected by a competent worker to determine whether they can handle their rated capacity and to identify any defects or hazardous conditions.

(2) The inspections shall be performed before the vehicles, machines, tools or equipment are first used at the project and thereafter at least once a year or more frequently as recommended by the manufacturer.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 26]

Section 95

95. (1) Every replacement part for a vehicle, machine, tool or equipment shall have at least the same safety factor as the part it is replacing.

(2) No modification to, extension to, repair to or replacement of a part of a vehicle, machine, tool or equipment shall result in a reduction of the safety factor of the vehicle, machine, tool or equipment.

Section 182

182. (1) No worker shall connect, maintain or modify electrical equipment or installations unless,

(a) the worker holds a certificate of qualification issued under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009 , that is not suspended, in the trade of,

(i) electrician - construction and maintenance, or

(ii) electrician - domestic and rural, if the worker is performing work that is limited to the scope of practice for that trade; or

(b) the worker is otherwise permitted to connect, maintain or modify electrical equipment or installations under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009 or the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000. .

(2) A worker who does not meet the requirements of clause (1) (a) or (b) may insert an attachment plug cap on the cord of electrical equipment or an electrical tool into, or remove it from, a convenience receptacle.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 4; 88/13, s. 2]

Section 187

187. Tools, ladders, scaffolding and other equipment or materials capable of conducting electricity shall not be stored or used so close to energized electrical equipment, installations or conductors that they can make electrical contact.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 7]

Section 195

195. All electrical extension cords used at a project shall have a grounding conductor and at least two other conductors.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 7]

Section 195.1

195.1 (1) Cord-connected electrical equipment or tools shall have a casing that is adequately grounded.

(2) All cord connections to electrical equipment or tools shall be polarized.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to cord-connected electrical equipment or tools that are adequately double-insulated and whose insulated casing shows no evidence of cracks or defects.

(4) Subsection (1) does not apply to a portable electrical generator in which the electrical equipment or tools are not exposed to an external electric power source if the casing of portable electrical equipment or tools connected to the generator is bonded to a non-current-carrying part of the generator.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 7]

Section 195.2

195.2 When a portable electrical tool is used outdoors or in a wet location,

(a) if the source of power is an ungrounded portable generator having a maximum output of 1.8 kilowatts or less, a ground fault circuit interrupter of the Class A type shall be located in the cord feeding the tool, as close to the tool as possible;

(b) in all other cases, the tool shall be plugged into a receptacle protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter of the Class A type.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 7]

Section 195.3

195.3 (1) Defective electrical equipment and tools that may pose a hazard shall be immediately disconnected, removed from service and tagged as being defective.

(2) The cause of a ground fault or the tripping of a ground fault circuit interrupter shall be immediately investigated to determine the hazard and corrective action shall be taken immediately.

[O. Reg. 627/05, s. 7]

Explosives