CMP 104 – COMPUTER SYSTEM DESIGN

(3 UNITS)
Module 9; Week 13
TOPIC: PC Lab Procedures and Safety
Prepared by: Dr. T. A. Olowookere

Introduction

This module covers basic safety practices for the workplace, hardware and software
tools, and the disposal of hazardous materials. Safety guidelines help protect
individuals from accidents and injury. They also help to protect equipment from
damage. Some of these guidelines are designed to protect the environment from
contamination caused by improperly discarded materials. You will also learn how to
protect equipment and data.

Safe Lab Procedures

This section discusses safety in the PC lab. Safety guidelines help protect individuals
from accidents and injury, protect equipment from damage and also protect the
environment from contamination caused by improperly discarded materials.

Safe Lab Procedures are categorized in three categories:

 Procedures to Protect People

 Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data, and
 Procedures to Protect the Environment.

1. Procedures to Protect People

There are three (3) safety considered for protection of people: General safety,
Electrical Safety and Fire Safety.

A. General Safety

Safe working conditions help prevent injury to people and damage to computer
equipment. A safe workspace is clean, organized, and properly lighted. Everyone
must understand and follow safety procedures.

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Follow the basic safety guidelines to prevent cuts, burns, electrical shock, and
damage to eyesight. As a best practice, make sure that a fire extinguisher and first-aid
kit are available in case of fire or injury. Poorly placed or unsecured cables can
cause tripping hazards in a network installation. Cable management techniques such
as installation of cables in conduit or cable trays help to prevent hazards.

This is a partial list of basic safety precautions to use when working on a computer:

Remove your watch and jewellery and secure loose clothing.

Turn off the power and unplug equipment before performing service.
Cover sharp edges inside the computer case with tape.
Never open a power supply or a monitor with a built-in power supply.
Do not touch areas in printers that are hot or that use high voltage.
Know where the fire extinguisher is located and how to use it.
Keep food and drinks out of your workspace.
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.

Before cleaning or repairing equipment, make sure that your tools are in good
condition. Clean, repair, or replace items that are not functioning adequately.

B. Electrical Safety

Follow electrical safety guidelines to prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities in
the home and the workplace. Power supplies and CRT monitors contain high voltage.

Some printer parts become hot during use, and other parts, such as power supplies,
contain high voltage. Check the printer manual for the location of high-voltage
components. Some components retain a high voltage even after the printer is turned
off. Make sure that the printer has had time to cool before making the repair.

Electrical devices have certain power requirements. For example, AC adapters are
manufactured for specific laptops. Exchanging AC adapters with a different type of
laptop or device may cause damage to both the AC adapter and the laptop.

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 C. Fire Safety

Follow fire safety guidelines to protect lives, structures, and equipment. To avoid an
electrical shock and to prevent damage to the computer, turn off and unplug the
computer before beginning a repair.

Fire can spread rapidly and be very costly. Proper use of a fire extinguisher can
prevent a small fire from getting out of control.

It is therefore important to know how to use a fire extinguisher. Use the memory aid
P-A-S-S to remember the basic rules of fire extinguisher operation as stated below:

 P: Pull the pin.

 A: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames.
 S: Squeeze the lever.
 S: Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Be familiar with the types of fire extinguishers used in your country or region. Each
type of fire extinguisher has specific chemicals to fight different types of fires as thus:

 Paper, wood, plastics, cardboard

 Gasoline, kerosene, organic solvents
 Electrical equipment
 Combustible metals

When working with computer components, be aware of the possibility of an

accidental fire and know how to react. Be alert for odours emitting from computers
and electronic devices. When electronic components overheat or short out, they emit
a burning smell.

If there is a fire, follow these safety procedures:

Never fight a fire that is out of control or not contained.

Always have a planned fire escape route before beginning any work.
Get out of the building quickly.
Contact emergency services for help.
Locate and read the instructions on the fire extinguishers in your workplace
before you have to use them

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2. Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data

Replacing equipment and recovering data is expensive and time consuming. This
section identifies potential threats to systems and describes procedures to help
prevent loss and damage. Some of the potential issues that can pose threats to
computer components/equipments and data include; Electrostatic Discharge,
Electromagnetic Interference, Climate and Power Fluctuation.

A. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can occur when there is a build-up of an electric charge
(static electricity) that exists on a surface which comes into contact with another,
differently charged surface. ESD can cause damage to computer equipment if not
discharged properly. Follow proper handling guidelines, be aware of environmental
issues, and use equipment that stabilizes power to prevent equipment damage and
data loss.

At least 3,000 volts of static electricity must build up before a person can feel ESD. For
example, static electricity can build up on you as you walk across a carpeted floor.
When you touch another person, you both receive a shock. If the discharge causes pain
or makes a noise, the charge was probably above 10,000 volts. By comparison, less
than 30 volts of static electricity can damage a computer component.

ESD can cause permanent damage to electrical components. Follow these

recommendations guidelines to help prevent ESD damage:

Keep all components in antistatic bags until you are ready to install them.
Use grounded mats on workbenches.
Use grounded floor mats in work areas.
Use antistatic wrist straps when working on computers.

B. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is the intrusion of outside electromagnetic signals

in a transmission media, such as copper cabling. In a network environment, EMI
distorts the signals so that the receiving devices have difficulty interpreting them.

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EMI does not always come from expected sources, such as cellular phones. Other
types of electric equipment can emit a silent, invisible electromagnetic field that can
extend for more than a mile.

There are many sources of EMI:

 Any source designed to generate electromagnetic energy

 Man-made sources like power lines or motors
 Natural events such as electrical storms, or solar and interstellar radiations

Wireless networks are affected by radio frequency interference (RFI). RFI is caused by
radio transmitters and other devices transmitting in the same frequency. For example,
a cordless telephone can cause problems with a wireless network when both devices
use the same frequency. Microwaves can also cause interference when positioned in
close proximity to wireless networking devices.

C. Climate

Climate affects computer equipment in a variety of ways:

 If the environment temperature is very high, equipment can overheat.

 If the humidity level is very low, the chance of ESD increases.
 If the humidity level is very high, equipment can suffer from moisture damage.

D. Power Fluctuation

Voltage is a measure of energy required to move a charge from one location to another.
The movement of electrons is called current. Computer circuits need voltage and
current to operate electronic components. When the voltage in a computer is not
accurate or steady, computer components might not operate correctly. Unsteady
voltages are called power fluctuations.

The following types of AC power fluctuations can cause data loss or hardware failure
in PCs:

Blackout—Complete loss of AC power. A blown fuse, damaged transformer,

or downed power line can cause a blackout.

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 Brownout—Reduced voltage level of AC power that lasts for a period of time.
Brownouts occur when the power line voltage drops below 80 percent of the
normal voltage level and when electrical circuits are overloaded.
Noise—Interference from generators and lightning. Noise results in poor
quality power, which can cause errors in a computer system.
Spike—Sudden increase in voltage that lasts for a short period and exceeds 100
percent of the normal voltage on a line. Spikes can be caused by lightning
strikes, but can also occur when the electrical system comes back on after a
blackout.
Power surge—Dramatic increase in voltage above the normal flow of electrical
current. A power surge lasts for a few nanoseconds, or one billionth of a second.

Power Protection Devices

To help shield against power fluctuation problems, use devices to protect the data and
computer equipment. Such power protection devices include:

 Surge suppressor—Helps protect against damage from surges and spikes. A surge
suppressor diverts extra electrical voltage that is on the line to the ground.
 Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)—Helps protect against potential electrical
power problems by supplying a consistent level of electrical power to a computer
or other 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.
This communication allows the UPS to safely shut down the computer and save
data prior to the UPS losing all battery power.
 Standby power supply (SPS)—Helps protect against potential electrical power
problems by providing a backup battery to supply power 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. This device is 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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3. Procedures to Protect the Environment

Most computer and peripherals use and contain at least some materials that can be
considered toxic to the environment. This section describes information about safety
procedures that help identify these materials, proper handling and disposal of the
materials.

Safety Data Sheet

Computers and peripherals contain materials that can be harmful to the environment.
Hazardous materials are sometimes called toxic waste. These materials can contain
high concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, or mercury. The
regulations for the disposal of hazardous materials vary by state or country. Contact
the local recycling or waste removal authorities in your community for information
about disposal procedures and services.

A safety data sheet (SDS) used to be known as a material safety and data sheet
(MSDS). A safety data sheet is a fact sheet that summarizes information about material
identification, including hazardous ingredients that can affect personal health, fire
hazards, and first-aid requirements. The SDS contains chemical reactivity and
incompatibility information. It also includes protective measures for the safe handling
and storage of materials and spill, leak, and disposal procedures.

To determine if a material is classified as hazardous, consult the manufacturer’s SDS.

The SDS information included with products purchased for computer repairs or
maintenance can be relevant to computer technicians. It is required that users be
informed about the materials that they are working with and be provided with
material safety information.

The SDS explains how to dispose of potentially hazardous materials in the safest
manner. Always check local regulations concerning acceptable disposal methods
before disposing of any electronic equipment.

The SDS contains the following valuable information:

Name of the material

Physical properties of the material

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Hazardous ingredients contained in the material
Reactivity data, such as fire and explosion data
Procedures for spills and leaks
Special precautions
Health hazards
Special protection requirements

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