Chapter 2

Safe Lab Procedures

and Tool Use
By
TSHIMANGA Célestin
Professor at University of Kinshasa
Research’s Area: Distributed Systems Cloud Computing
Phone number: +243812044120
E-mail: [email protected]
 Chapter 2 Objectives
• 2.1 Explain the purpose
of safe working
conditions and
procedures
• 2.2 Identify tools and
software used with
personal computer
components and their
purposes
• 2.3 Implement proper
tool use
 Chapter 2 Worksheets and Labs
• 2.2.2 Worksheet: Security and Diagnostic
Software
• 2.3.4 Lab: Computer Disassembly
 Safe Lab Procedures and Tool Use
The workplace should have safety guidelines to
follow to:
• Protect people from injury
• Protect equipment from damage
• Protect the environment from contamination
 Recognize Safe Working Conditions
Some things to look for:
• Clean, organized, and properly lit workspace
• Proper procedures for handling equipment
• Proper disposal or
recycling of components
containing hazardous
materials
 General Safety Guidelines
• Damage to equipment may result in
claims for damages from the customer.
• CAUTION: Power supplies and
monitors contain very high voltage.
Do not wear the antistatic wrist strap when
repairing power supplies or monitors.
• CAUTION: Some printer parts may become very
hot when in use and other parts may contain very
high voltages.
 Fire Safety Guidelines
Have a fire plan before you begin work:
• Know the location of fire extinguishers, how to
use them, and which to use for electrical fires
and for combustible fires
• Have an escape route in case
a fire gets out of control
• Know how to contact
emergency services quickly
• Keep the workspace clean
• Keep most solvents in a
separate area
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
• At least 3,000 volts of static
electricity must build up before a
person can feel ESD, but less than 30
volts of static electricity can damage
a computer component.
Preventing ESD Damage
• Use antistatic bags to store
components
• Use grounded mats on workbenches
• Use grounded floor mats in work
areas
• Use antistatic wrist straps when
working on computers
 Power Fluctuation
AC power fluctuations can cause data loss or
hardware failure:
• Blackouts, brownouts, noise, power surges
To help shield against power fluctuation issues, use
power protection devices to protect the data and
computer equipment

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.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
• The name of the material
• The physical properties of the material
• Any hazardous ingredients contained in the
material
• Reactivity data, such as fire and explosion data
• Special protection requirements
• Procedures for spills
or leaks
• Special precautions
• Health hazards
 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.
• Contact the local sanitation company to learn how
and where to dispose of the chemicals and solvents
used to clean computers.
Tools for the Job
Skilled use of tools and software makes the
job less difficult and ensures that tasks
are performed properly and safely.
• ESD Tools
– antistatic wrist strap, mat
• Hand Tools
– screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers
• Cleaning Tools
– soft cloth, compressed air can
• Diagnostic Tools
– digital multimeter, loopback adapter
 Software Tools
Disk management tools

• Fdisk - create and delete disk partitions

• Format - prepare a hard drive prior to use
• Scandisk or Chkdsk - check for physical errors on
the disk surface
• Defrag - optimize use of space on a disk
• Disk Cleanup - remove unused files
• Disk Management - creates partitions and formats
disks (GUI interface)
• System File Checker (SFC) – scans the operating
system critical files and replaces any files that are
corrupt
Organizational Tools
• Personal reference tools
– Notes, journal, history of
repairs
• Internet reference tools
– Search engines, news groups,
manufacturer FAQs, online
computer manuals, online
forums and chats, technical
websites
• Miscellaneous tools
– Spare parts, a working laptop
 Proper Use
Can prevent ESD damage to computer components.
• Connect the cable to the metal chassis of
the computer
• The connection will keep your body at the
same voltage (potential) as the computer
• Attach the wire on the same side of the
equipment
• AUTION: Never wear an antistatic wrist strap
if you are repairing a monitor
 Proper Use of Antistatic Mat
• Lay the computer on the mat.
• Connect the computer to the mat with the
cable.
• Connect the mat to a reliable electrical
ground with its cable.
• Now, you and the computer are at ground
potential.
 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 cloth to clean computer
cases, outside of monitor, screen, and
mouse.
• Use compressed air to clean heat sinks.
• Use Isopropyl alcohol 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.
 Chapter 2 Summary
Safe Lab Procedures and Tool Use
• Follow safety procedures for personal
protection, equipment protection, and
environmental protection.
• Know what tools and software to use in
working with computers and computer
components.
• Follow proper use of tools.
– Anti-static wrist strap, anti-static mat, various hand
tools, and cleaning materials
Questions and Answers