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Job-Site Safety Checklist

Reference Safety Updated Jul 24, 2026

Overview

A short, non-negotiable safety checklist every tech runs through before starting work on any residential or light-commercial job site. Most field-service injuries are preventable - the cost of a 90-second checklist beats the cost of a single OSHA recordable, an insurance claim, or worse.

Reference Table

Run the checklist in order before unpacking tools. Skip nothing; the items are short because each one is a different category of risk.

# Item What to check What to do if it fails
1 PPE Eyes, ears, hands, feet, head appropriate to the work Don't start until you've got it
2 Footing Steady stance, clean floor, no trip hazards in the work area Sweep / move obstacles before tools come out
3 Electrical hazard Visible wires, panels, outlets within the work zone Lockout / tagout before any contact
4 Water source Shutoff location identified for any plumbing or wet work Locate + verify operable before opening lines
5 Gas source Shutoff location identified for any gas appliance work Same - locate + verify before disconnecting
6 Confined space Crawlspace, attic, mechanical closet involved? Ventilate + gas monitor required
7 Pets Dogs or cats in the home? Customer puts them away; verify before doors open
8 Kids Children in the work area? Customer keeps them out of the work zone
9 Customer location Customer aware you're starting? Brief verbal "I'm starting on X now" - no surprises
10 Tool inventory Right tools for the job, on the truck, working? Reschedule rather than improvise

Notes

  • PPE is non-negotiable. Safety glasses for any cutting, drilling, or chemical work. Ear protection above 85 dB (anything with a motor in a small room qualifies). Steel-toe boots on every call. Gloves matched to the task - leather for handling, dielectric for live electrical, chemical-resistant for solvents.
  • Lockout / tagout is not optional, even on residential calls. A homeowner toggling the wrong breaker mid-work is a foreseeable failure mode. Lock + tag your own work; don't rely on "I told them not to touch it."
  • A confined space (attic, crawlspace, mechanical room without ventilation) requires gas monitoring before entry on any call involving combustion, refrigerant, or solvents. Personal monitors are cheap; CO + LEL kills are slow and silent.
  • If the dog can't be contained, the job doesn't start. Reschedule rather than negotiate. This is for your safety AND the dog's; nobody wins when a friendly dog gets startled by a power tool.

If you feel rushed, you're about to make a mistake. Stop, run the checklist out loud, restart. Every serious field-service injury investigation includes "tech felt behind schedule" as a contributing factor. Behind schedule is recoverable; injuries are not.

References

  • OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry safety standards)
  • NFPA 70E (Electrical safety in the workplace)
  • Manuall internal: OSHA Lockout / Tagout (LOTO) 1910.147

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