Do hand held power tools need to be grounded?

Do hand held power tools need to be grounded?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if double insulated
• D. Not required

Answer: (A)

Grounding is a safety path that keeps exposed metal parts at earth potential and gives fault current a quick route to the ground, which helps trip the circuit and prevent shock. For most hand-held power tools with metal housings or other conductive parts that could become energized, a grounding connection is required. Some tools are designed as double insulated, using reinforced insulation so a separate ground isn’t needed; in those cases grounding isn’t required. So, in typical practice, hand-held power tools should be grounded unless they are explicitly double insulated.

Grounding is a safety path that keeps exposed metal parts at earth potential and gives fault current a quick route to the ground, which helps trip the circuit and prevent shock. For most hand-held power tools with metal housings or other conductive parts that could become energized, a grounding connection is required. Some tools are designed as double insulated, using reinforced insulation so a separate ground isn’t needed; in those cases grounding isn’t required. So, in typical practice, hand-held power tools should be grounded unless they are explicitly double insulated.