LESSON 1:

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

 Identify the hazards that might be encounter in the workplace

 Remember the 3 think safe steps.

 List the guidelines and safety protocols in the workplace.

Occupational health and safety
Before working on a computer and other electronic devices, there are safety
precautions that are needed to prevent unnecessary injuries that may occur during the
process of repairing some electronic devices. Occupational Health and Safety is a set of
policies and procedures that aims to have a safe and healthy workplace for the people.

Three think safe steps

1. Hazard Identification
- When performing tasks such as troubleshooting, repairing, or upgrading
computers, you must stay alert at all times because you can prevent the risk if you
identify the danger ahead of time. If you smell, hear or see something strange, you must
tell your workmate to spot it easily.

2. Risk Evaluation
- When you spot the hazard or risk, you must think about how harmful this can be
to you or the people around your workplace. If you can't fix it yourself, you must tell your
supervisor to work on that safely. You may ask your supervisor how to use some
equipment that you don't know how to operate.

3. Risk control
- You can fix some risks sometimes, as long as you don't harm yourself. If you
think it can be harmful to you or your workmates, immediately tell it to your supervisor or
employer because it's their responsibility to maintain the safety of their employees.
Hazard
- A source that has the potential of getting you injured and has harmful effects on
your health or your surroundings. These are some of the hazards that may occur in your
workplace.

1. Physical hazards
- A fall from higher ground or a ladder
- Leaving electronic equipment or heavy tools on a not stable surface or
ladder is the risk of falling into you or causing the equipment to break apart.
- Wet floors can cause slips and are not ideal when working with electronic
devices.
- Cables that are not properly placed on the floor can cause slips and falls.
2. Mechanical hazards
- Machines that you use or working on can harm you. Sharp edges of the
casing can hurt your hand, or your hand can get stuck on a photocopier machine.
3. Chemical Hazards
- Many chemicals are used when repairing electronic devices. It can harm
you when it gets to your bare hands, get into your eyes.
4. Electrical Hazards
- The power supply provides different voltage depending on the needs of the
internal components of the computer. Some of them are harmless, but in power
supply, you will find 220V, which is lethal.
- The occurrence of short circuits can spark that can produce fire.
Safety guidelines and Protocols
Here are some of the safety procedures that you need to know before working on every
device.

1. Always clean the workplace before and after your working hours to maintain the
cleanliness in it.

2. Always work with somebody so that if an emergency occurs, you have someone
that can help and assist you.

3. If you noticed unnecessary smell such as burning wire, tell it with your co-worker
so you can detect and prevent damage in the devices that you are working on.

4. Before working on any devices, make sure that the power is off and unplug to the
power supply.

5. Always remember to discharge yourself before working on any computer

hardware components.

6. When working on any electronic device, place all the removed pieces or parts on
a clean surface or clean white cloth to locate every part quickly.

7. If the parts don't fit, don't force it because most probably it doesn't belong there.

8. When assembling and disassembling parts of the computer, don't use

unnecessary force that may cause the parts to break, and please handle with
care.

9. Remove all the liquids near you that may spill on the workplace to avoid
unnecessary damage to other parts of the computer.

10. Always wear PPE or Personal Protective Equipment according to the

organization's OHS procedures and practices.

11. Always try to ensure your hands are dry to prevent being electrocuted.
12. Have a safety procedure and guidelines posted inside the workplace.