Who this course is for
- Site workers who use hand tools as part of their trade
- Construction, maintenance and workshop crews starting out on the tools
- Learners on trade programmes who need a tool competency before placement
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent workers on tool-based tasks
What you will be able to do after this course
- Select the right hand tool for the task and the material
- Use hand tools correctly and with the right technique
- Inspect, maintain and store hand tools so they stay safe to use
- Apply worksite procedures and standards, including basic electrical safety
What the course covers
The course covers the tools themselves and the worksite procedures and standards that govern how they are used.
Learners cover the common categories of hand tool and what each is designed for, matching the tool to the task and the material, inspecting tools for damage and wear, correct grip, stance and technique, personal protective equipment, cleaning, maintaining and storing tools, worksite procedures and standards, and basic electrical safety where tools are used near live equipment. The tool work is assessed practically.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical, where the learner selects, inspects and uses hand tools correctly under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 12878, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Hand tools is the baseline tool competency that most trade and site programmes assume before anything else. It is what shows an employer that a new starter has been taught to pick the right tool and use it safely rather than working it out on site. Learners can download the certificate 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 site team, since the tools and the work are already in front of them. 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.
Hand tools and power tools: how they differ
| Hand tools (this course) | Power tool | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Selecting, using and maintaining hand tools | Selecting, using and caring for power tools |
| Unit standard | SAQA 12878 | SAQA 10255 |
| Main risk covered | Correct tool choice and safe technique | Electrical safety, guards and rotating parts |
| Order | Usually taken first | Usually taken after hand tools |
Hand tools is the knowledge normally assumed before power tools. Most trade learners take both, in that order.
Where this course can take you
Hand tools is an entry point into the trade programmes at Fundza. The usual next step is Power Tool, and from there the Plumbing, Welding or Electrical Aide programmes, or the construction trades such as Shutter-hand, Steel Fixer and Concrete-Hand. 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.