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Safe Workplace Procedures and
Tool Use
Sections & Objectives
❖ Safe procedures
▪ Explain the purpose of safe working conditions and safe lab procedures
❖ Proper Use of Tools
▪ Explain how to use tools and software with personal computer components
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1. Safe Workplace Procedures
Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Safe working conditions help prevent injury to people and
damage to computer equipment
▪ Basic safety guidelines prevent cuts, burns, electrical shock and
damage to eyesight
▪ A safe workspace is clean, organized, and properly lit
▪ Safe Work Procedures are documented procedures for
performing tasks
▪ The purpose of a safe work procedure is to reduce the risk to health and safety in the workplace and
reduce the likelihood of an injury
▪ They ensure that employees know how to work safely when carrying out the tasks involved in their jobs
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ General Safety
▪ Make sure a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are available
▪ Unsecured cables create tripping hazards
▪ Food and drinks should not be in the workspace
▪ Remove watch and jewelry and secure loose clothing
▪ Keep your workspace clean and free of clutter
▪ Bend your knees when lifting heavy objects to avoid injuring your back
▪ Wear safety goggles to prevent damage to eyesight
▪ Cover sharp edges inside the computer case with tape
Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Electrical Safety
▪ Power supplies and CRT monitors contain high voltage
▪ Computer power supplies are dangerous when disassembled
▪ Watch out for printer areas that are hot during use or that use high voltage
▪ Some printer parts retain voltage even after the printer is turned off
▪ Give the printer time to cool off before doing repairs
▪ Check the voltage output of AC adapters and chargers before connecting them to devices
❖ Always turn off power and unplug equipment before working on them
➢ failure could be an electrical hazard or cause destruction of equipment
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Computers are electrical devices
▪ Electrical devices have certain power requirements
▪ AC adapters are manufactured for specific laptops
o Do not exchange AC adapters between devices
o This may cause damage to both the AC adapter and the laptop
Follow electrical safety guidelines to prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities
❖ Some common causes of electrical hazards to watch out for include
▪ Insufficient insulation
• Deterioration of insulation can lead to exposed wires and increase the risk of electric shock or short circuits
▪ Damaged electrical appliances
• Loose connections, frayed wires, or cracked insulation can result in electrical malfunctions
▪ Improper use of extension cords
• Practices like daisy chaining and overloading can cause overheating and ignite electrical fires
▪ Inadequate maintenance
• Failing to regularly inspect electrical systems, ignoring warning signs, or bypassing safety procedures can trigger
severe electrical hazards over time
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Fire Safety
▪ Remember to turn off the power and unplug equipment before
performing service
▪ Different types of fires require different types of fire extinguishers, make
sure to use to correct one
▪ Be familiar with the types of fire extinguishers available for the different
types of fires:
o Paper, wood, plastic, cardboard
o Gasoline, kerosene, organic solvents
o Electrical equipment
o Combustible metals
Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Fire Safety
▪ Be alert for odors emitting from computers and electronic devices
▪ Use the memory aid P-A-S-S to remember the basic rules of fire
extinguisher operation:
o P - Pull the pin
o A - Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames
o S - Squeeze the lever
o S - Sweep the nozzle from side to side
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect People
❖ Fire Safety
▪ If there is a fire, follow these safety procedures:
o Never fight a fire that is out of control or not contained
o Always have a planned fire escape route before beginning any work
o Get out of the building quickly
o Contact emergency services for help
o Locate and read the instructions on the fire extinguishers in your
workplace before you have to use them
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
▪ ESD can occur when there is a buildup of an electric
charge that exists on a surface which comes into contact
with another differently charged surface
▪ Less than 30 volts of static electricity can damage
computer components if not discharged properly
▪ At least 3,000 volts of static electricity must build up before a person can feel ESD
▪ ESD can build up on you as you walk on a carpeted floor
▪ ESD can cause damage to computer equipment if not discharged properly
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Follow these recommendations to help prevent ESD
damage:
o Keep all components in antistatic bags until you are ready to
install them
o Use grounded mats on workbenches, placed under a
computer being repaired
o Use grounded floor mats in work areas
o Use antistatic wrist straps when working inside computers
o Antistatic heel straps are also available
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ If an antistatic wrist strap is not available
▪ After removing the computer case, stay attached to an unpainted metal computer part
e.g power supply
▪ If you are right-handed, place your bare left arm on the power supply, if left handed, place the right
hand
▪ Remove the computer parts one by one, always keeping your left elbow (or some other bare part of
your arm) connected to the power supply
▪ By placing your elbow on the power supply, both hands are free to remove computer parts
▪ This method is an effective way of keeping the technician and the computer at the same voltage
potential, thus reducing the chance of ESD damage
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ If an antistatic wrist strap is not available
▪ Also, removing the power cable from the back of the computer is a good idea
▪ A power supply provides a small amount of power to the motherboard even when the computer is
powered off
▪ Always unplug the computer and use an antistatic wrist strap when removing or replacing parts inside
a computer!
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
▪ Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is the
intrusion of outside electromagnetic signals
in a transmission media
▪ Distorts the signals, degrading computer communication
▪ Many sources of
o Any source designed to generate electromagnetic energy
o Man-made sources like power lines or motors
o Natural events such as electrical storms, or solar and interstellar radiations
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
▪ RFI is caused by radio transmitters and
other devices transmitting in the same
frequency
▪ Affects wireless networks
▪ Microwaves can also cause interference when positioned in close proximity to wireless
networking devices
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Climate
▪ Keep the room temperature between 45 to 90 degrees
Fahrenheit (7 to 32 degrees Celsius)
▪ Keep the humidity level between 10 and 80 percent
▪ Climate affects computer equipment in a
variety of ways:
o If the environment temperature is very high,
equipment can overheat
o If the humidity level is very low, the chance of ESD increases
o If the humidity level is very high, equipment can suffer from
moisture damage
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Fluctuation Types
▪ Power fluctuations may impact the operation of computer components
▪ Types of power fluctuations that can cause data loss or hardware
damage include:
o Blackouts
o Brownouts
o Noise
o Spike
o Power surge
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Fluctuation Types
▪ The following types of AC power fluctuations can cause data loss or
hardware failure:
❖ Blackout
▪ Complete loss of AC power
❖ Brownout
▪ Reduced voltage level of AC power that lasts for a period of time
▪ Occur when the power line voltage drops below 80 percent of the
normal voltage level and when electrical circuits are overloaded
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Fluctuation Types
❖ Noise
▪ Interference from generators and lightning
▪ Results in poor quality power, which can cause errors in a computer
system
❖ Spike
▪ A sudden increase in voltage that lasts for a short period and
exceeds 100 % of the normal voltage on a line
▪ Can be caused by lightning strikes, but can also occur when the
electrical system comes back on after a blackout
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Fluctuation Types
❖ Power surge
▪ Dramatic increase in voltage above the normal flow of electrical
current
▪ Typically have less voltage than spikes (usually 10% to 35%
above the normal line voltage) , but last longer from 15
milliseconds up to several minutes
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Protection Devices
▪ Devices designed to protect computer systems from
power fluctuations
❖ Surge suppressor
▪ Helps protect against damage from surges and spikes
▪ Diverts extra electrical voltage that is on the line to the
ground
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Protection Devices
▪ Devices designed to protect computer systems from power
fluctuations
❖ Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
▪ Supplies a consistent level of electrical power to a device
▪ The battery is constantly recharging while the UPS is in use
▪ The UPS provides a consistent quality of power when brownouts and
blackouts occur
▪ Many UPS devices can communicate directly with the computer
operating system
▪ The UPS can safely shut down the computer and save data prior to
the UPS losing all battery power
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
❖ Power Protection Devices
▪ Devices designed to protect computer systems from power fluctuations
❖ Standby power supply (SPS)
▪ Provides a backup battery when the incoming voltage drops below the
normal level
▪ The battery is on standby during normal operation
▪ When the voltage decreases, the battery provides DC power to a power
inverter, which converts it to AC power for the computer
▪ Not as reliable as a UPS because of the time it takes to switch over to the
battery
▪ If the switching device fails, the battery cannot supply power to the
computer
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Safety Data Sheet
▪ Use an SDS to obtain information about a material,
including procedures for proper disposal
▪ The SDS contains information on
o the material’s composition
o how it can affect personal health
o fire hazards
o first-aid requirements
▪ It also includes protective measures for the safe handling
and storage of materials and spill, leak, and disposal
procedures
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Equipment Disposal
▪ Computer equipment contains hazardous materials and
should be properly disposed
▪ Follow regulations to protect the environment and avoid
fines
▪ Batteries, monitors, toner kits, cartridges, developers,
chemical solvents and aerosol cans are examples of
equipment that must be properly disposed
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Equipment Disposal
❖ Batteries
▪ Batteries often contain rare earth metals that can be harmful to the
environment
▪ Batteries from portable computer systems can contain lead, cadmium,
lithium, alkaline manganese, and mercury
▪ These metals do not decay and remain in the environment for many
years
▪ Recycling batteries should be a standard practice
▪ All batteries, including lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride,
and lead-acid, are subject to disposal procedures that comply with local
environmental regulations
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Equipment Disposal
❖ Monitors
▪ Handle CRT monitors with care
▪ Extremely high voltage can be stored in CRT monitors, even after
being disconnected from a power source
▪ Monitors contain glass, metal, plastics, lead, barium, and rare earth
metals
▪ According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
monitors can contain approximately 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of lead
▪ Monitors must be disposed of in compliance with environmental
regulations
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Equipment Disposal
❖ Toner Kits, Cartridges, and Developers
▪ Used printer toner kits and printer cartridges must be disposed of
properly in compliance with environmental regulations
▪ They can also be recycled
▪ Some toner cartridge suppliers and manufacturers take empty
cartridges for refilling
▪ Some companies specialize in refilling empty cartridges
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Safe Work Procedures
Procedures to Protect the Environment
❖ Equipment Disposal
❖ Chemical Solvents and Aerosol Cans
▪ Contact the local sanitation company to learn how and where to dispose
of the chemicals and solvents used to clean computers
▪ Never dump chemicals or solvents down a sink or dispose of them in a
drain that connects to public sewers
▪ The cans or bottles that contain solvents and other cleaning supplies must be handled carefully
▪ Make sure that they are identified and treated as special hazardous waste e.g. some aerosol cans
explode when exposed to heat if the contents are not completely used
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2. Proper Use of Tool
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Proper Use of Tools
Hardware Tools
▪ ESD Tools
o Antistatic wrist strap and antistatic mat
▪ Hand Tools
o Screwdrivers, flashlights, pliers
▪ Cable Tools
o Wire cutters and strippers, crimpers , punch down tool
▪ Cleaning Tools
o Special cloths, chemicals, cable ties, parts organisers
▪ Diagnostic Tools
o Digital multimeters, loopback adapters, tone generators and
probes, WiFi analyzer, external HDD enclosure
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Proper Use of Tools
Software Tools
▪ Like hardware tools, software tools are task-specific
▪ Used to diagnose problems, maintain hardware, and protect
the data stored on a computer
▪ Disk Management Tools
o Used for disk management, formatting, error checking,
drive optimization, disk cleanup, etc
▪ Protection Software Tools
o Malicious software can damage or compromise operating
systems, applications, and data
o Software protection tools include antivirus, antispyware,
firewalls and update manager software
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Proper Use of Tools
Software Tools
❖ Disk Management Tools
▪ Disk Management - Initializes disks, creates partitions, and
formats partitions
▪ Format - Prepares a hard drive to store information
▪ Scandisk or Chkdsk - Checks the integrity of files and
folders on a hard drive. It can also check the disk surface for
physical errors
▪ Optimize Drives – Previously known as Defrag, optimizes
space on a hard drive
▪ Disk Cleanup - Clears space on a hard drive by searching
for files that can be safely deleted
▪ System File Checker (SFC) - Scans the critical files of the
operating system and replaces files that are corrupt
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Proper Use of Tools
Organizational Tools
❖It is important that a technician document all services
and repairs for future reference
▪ Personal Reference Tools
o Include troubleshooting guides, manufacturer manuals,
quick reference guides, and repair journals
o History of repairs and a notepad can be extremely useful as
a technician performs troubleshooting and repairs
o The Internet can be a great reference tool by providing
access to specialized forums, search engines,
manufacturer’s FAQs, and more
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Proper Use of Tools
Organizational Tools
❖It is important that a technician document all services
and repairs for future reference
▪ Miscellaneous Tools
o Additional secondary items can be added to the toolkit
o Masking tape, a working computer and even pencil eraser
can be very useful additions to a technician’s kit
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Chapter Summary
Summary
▪ Work in a safe manner to protect users and equipment.
▪ Follow all safety guidelines to prevent injuries to yourself and others.
▪ Know how to protect equipment from ESD damage.
▪ Know about and be able to prevent power issues that can cause equipment damage or data loss.
▪ Know which products and supplies require special disposal procedures.
▪ Familiarize yourself with the SDS for safety issues and disposal restrictions to help protect the
environment.
▪ Be able to use the correct tools for the task
▪ Know how to clean components safely.
▪ Use organizational tools during computer repairs.
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