Safety Precautions

Personal Safety Guidelines

These are general guidelines for all types of troubleshooting, installation, and maintenance
tasks. Take them seriously; they may keep you out of a dangerous situation, protect equipment
from damage and protect the environment.

Before repairing any electronic device, it is important to know the hazards and safety
factors. Use extreme care and follow these safety procedures at all times.

1. Remove all jewelry.

2. Always unplug the power cord before removing or re-installing any electrical component or
circuit board, or when performing maintenance on electrical equipment.
3. Do not touch any exposed circuit with power applied.
4. Only have power applied when taking voltage measurements or waveforms.
5. Insert test probes with one hand only. Do not insert probes with both hands. Keeping one
hand behind the student’s back or under the test bench will reduce the chance of fatal
electrocution. This is referred to as the one-hand rule.
6. Do not leave any objects loose on the equipment, such as screws, nuts, or washers. These
items can fall into the equipment.
7. Before handling or replacing IC processors, students should touch the outside metal of the
equipment and use an antistatic wrist strap that is connected to the chassis to be properly
grounded. Make sure that the equipment is grounded prior to removing its case. This
reduces ESD damage.
8. Do not troubleshoot electronic equipment without having appropriate documentation, unless
instructor approval is given.
9. Never solder any connection with the power on.
10. After soldering, look for possible solder splashes, cold solder joints, or damaged insulation.
11. Always maintain a clean and safe work area.
12. The student will not rush through the procedures.
13. The student should be certain about what is to be done. If the student is unsure about a
procedure, ask for help.
14. Do not touch anything if there are any doubts.
15. The instructor covers fire extinguisher locations, fire evacuation procedures, safety and
first-aid kit locations, and emergency phone numbers in class.
16. Shoes, shirt, and long pants are required when soldering and working on equipment.
17. Never work alone

Basic Lab Safety Principles

1. The workspace should be situated away from carpeted areas because carpets can cause the
buildup of electrostatic charges.
2. It should be a nonconductive surface.

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 Safety Precautions

3. It should be distant from areas of heavy electrical equipment or concentrations of

electronics.
4. It should be free of dust.
5. It should have a filtered air system to reduce dust and contaminants.
6. Lighting should be adequate to see small details.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

Static electricity is created whenever two materials are rubbed together and electrons are
transferred from one material to the other. This imbalance in electron distribution is equalized
when the charged objected is connected with a ground path, which causes a rapid transference of
electrons.

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 Safety Precautions

Human senses cannot detect a static electric charge of less than 2500 volts. A static
electric charge of 3000 volts or more will create the familiar spark when you touch a light switch, a
piece of metal, or another person. It is not uncommon to create a static electric charge of up to
30,000 volts, by simply "shushing" across carpet wearing leather-soled shoes. With most
computer electronics running at three to five volts, it is easy to see how this static electric charge
can destroy these devices. In fact, only a 10-volt static discharge through a device rated at five
volts can destroy it.

Workspace Practices that Help Reduces ESD Potential

1. Use antistatic bags to store components

2. Use grounded mats on workbenches
3. Use grounded floor mats in work areas
4. Use antistatic wrist straps when working on computers

ESD Effects

Some microcircuits are more prone to ESD damage than others. Older Transistor-
Transistor Logic (TTL) chips are more robust than the newer Complementary Metal Oxide
Semiconductor (CMOS) chips.
To prevent destruction to components by ESD, static must be equalized between you and
the equipment being serviced.

Power Fluctuation

AC power fluctuations can cause data loss or hardware failure:

 Blackouts, brownouts, noise, spikes, power surges
To help shield against power fluctuation issues, use power protection devices to protect the data
and computer equipment:
 Surge suppressors
 UPS
 SPS
CAUTION: Never plug a printer into a UPS device. UPS manufacturers suggest not plugging a
printer into a UPS for fear of burning up the printer motor.

Proper Disposal

 Batteries from portable computer systems may contain lead, cadmium, lithium, alkaline
manganese, and mercury. Recycling batteries should be a standard practice for a
technician.
 Monitors contain up to 4 pounds of lead, as well as rare earth metals. Monitors must be
disposed of in compliance with environmental regulations.
 Used printer toner kits and printer cartridges must be disposed of properly or recycled.

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 Safety Precautions

 Contact the local sanitation company to learn how and where to dispose of the chemicals
and solvents used to clean computers.

Proper Use of Antistatic Wrist Strap

 Connect the cable to the metal chassis of the computer

 Wrap the strap around your wrist
 The connection will keep your body at the same voltage (potential) as the computer
 Attach the wire on the same side of the equipment as the arm wearing the antistatic wrist
strap to keep the wire out of the way while you are working.
CAUTION: Never wear an antistatic wrist strap if you are repairing a monitor or CRT.

Proper Use of Hand Tools

 Use the proper type and size of screwdriver by matching it to the screw. Phillips, Flat Head
and Hex are the most common types.
 Do not over tighten screws because the threads may become stripped.
Caution: If excessive force is needed to remove or add a component, something may be
wrong.
Caution: Magnetized tools should not be used around electronic devices.
Caution: Pencils should not be used inside the computer because the pencil lead can act as
a conductor and may damage the computer components.

Proper Use of Cleaning Materials

To clean computers and accessories:

 Use mild cleaning solution and lint-free cloth to clean computer cases, outside of monitor,
LCD screen, CRT screen, and mouse.
 Use compressed air to clean heat sinks.
 Use Isopropyl alcohol and lint-free swabs to clean RAM.
 Use hand-held vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean a keyboard.
CAUTION: Before cleaning any device, turn it off and unplug the device from the power
source.

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