Electrical/Electronic Laboratory

Safety & Personal Safety

Content
Safety first
The danger of electricity
Personal Safety
Workshop/Laboratory Safety
Safety adherence and caution
What to do in case of electrical shock
 ELECTRONIC LABORATORY SAFETY
***SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS! DEATH IS PERMANENT***

o A review of safety must surely be the first thing discussed in a

Electrical/Electronic environment. Only 50 mA flowing through the body is
painful; 100 mA to 500 mA is usually fatal.
o Make certain that you are 100% familiar with all safety rules and the
dangerous conditions that might exist in the environment you are working in.
o In the Electrical/Electronic working environment dangerous conditions may
exist where you don't expect them, since electricity is not visible.
o Treat every component as potentially dangerous.

Safety = Knowledge + Common Sense + Caution

 ELECTRONIC LABORATORY SAFETY
PERSONAL SAFETY
o What is personal safety? Personal safety is the safe actions/behaviour
an individual will perform/adhere to, to ensure his own well-being.
Thus, personal safety is to avoid self-inflicted injury or own-death.

WORKSHOP/LABORATORY SAFETY
o What is workshop safety? Workshop safety is the safe
actions/behaviour an individual will perform/adhere to, to ensure the
well being of others (as well as himself) in his work environment.
o These include safe actions/behaviour an individual will perform/adhere
to, to ensure the well being of himself due to unsafe actions of others.
 ELECTRONIC LABORATORY SAFETY….
o Obey any safety warnings on equipment and/or in operation manuals.
o Avoid working with two hands on live circuits (Body cannot become a
conductor).
o Include a conveniently located ground-fault current interrupter (GFCI) or
circuit breaker in the workbench wiring.
o Use only grounded plugs and receptacles.
o Switch off the power, disconnect power, ground equipment and discharge
high-voltage capacitors when changing circuits.
o Test leads should be well insulated.
o Do not work alone when working on electric circuits!
o Be careful with conductive tools.
o Replace fuses only with those having proper ratings.
 ELECTRONIC LABORATORY SAFETY….
***IN CASE OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK***
oDo not PANIC.
oQuickly remove the victim from the source of electricity by:
 Interrupting the current (Open switch or circuit breaker, unplugging the electric cord or
cutting the wires with a well-insulated tool.).
 Separate the victim from the electrical circuit using an insulating material e.g. dry stick,
rope, leather belt, coat, blanket etc.
CAUTION: DO NOT TOUCH THE VICTIM OR THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
UNLESS THE POWER IS OFF.
oCall for assistance, since other persons may be more
knowledgeable in treating the victim or can call for professional
medical help while first aid is being given.