Why should tool tips be kept away from live parts?

• A. To save time
• B. It doesn't matter
• C. To prevent arcing and electrical shocks
• D. To avoid damaging the tool

Answer: (C)

Keeping tool tips away from live parts reduces the risk of electric shock and arcing. A metal tip can become energized if it is near or touching a live conductor, and if you are holding or using the tool, current can travel through your body to ground or to another conductor. Even without direct contact, a high voltage can jump a small air gap and form an arc, especially in damp, dusty, or oily conditions that lower the air’s breakdown voltage. This is a key safety measure because it directly prevents a dangerous path for electricity to follow through you or the tool. The other options miss the safety focus: saving time isn’t the point, whether it matters or not isn’t accurate, and avoiding tool damage isn’t the primary reason compared with the clear risk of shock and arcing.