Who this course is for
- Site workers who select and operate power tools as part of their trade
- Construction, maintenance and workshop crews using drills, grinders and saws
- Learners on trade programmes who need a tool competency before placement
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent power tool users
What you will be able to do after this course
- Select the right power tool for the task and the material
- Use a power tool according to statutory and manufacturer requirements
- Inspect, care for and store power tools correctly
- Apply basic electrical safety when working with powered equipment
What the course covers
The course covers selecting, using and caring for power tools, and the safety rules that surround them, which is where most tool injuries start.
Learners cover the common categories of power tool and what each is designed for, matching the tool and the accessory to the material, pre-use inspection of the tool, lead and plug, guards and safety devices, basic electrical safety and the risks of damaged leads, personal protective equipment, safe operating technique, and cleaning, maintaining and storing tools. The knowledge and skills assumed alongside this unit standard include safety procedures according to statutory and manufacturer requirements, induction to industry, basic electrical safety and the use of hand tools.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical, where the learner selects, inspects and uses a power tool correctly under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 10255, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Power tool injuries are common and largely preventable, which is why an employer has to be able to show that the person using the tool was trained. The certificate is what does that, and it is often asked for at induction on construction and industrial sites. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 2 days | R1,529 | First-time certification |
On-site delivery at your own premises is available and is usually the better option for a team, because the practical work is done on the tools your own people use. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a workshop or site team, since the tools and the work they do with them are already there. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Power tools and hand tools: how they differ
| Power tool (this course) | Hand tools | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Selecting, using and caring for power tools | Selecting, using and maintaining hand tools |
| Unit standard | SAQA 10255 | SAQA 12878 |
| Main risk covered | Electrical safety, guards and rotating parts | Correct tool choice and safe technique |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
Hand tools is normally the prerequisite knowledge assumed before power tools. Most trade learners take both.
Where this course can take you
Power tool training sits alongside the trade programmes at Fundza. Learners commonly hold Hand Tools first and add Working at Heights, and it is a common addition to the Plumbing, Welding and Electrical Aide programmes. Browse the full Construction Trainings range.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.