Use of Tools in PC

Hardware
Servicing
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Proper tool selection

A tool is a handheld device that aids in accomplishing a

task. Tools range from a traditional metal cutting part
of a machine to an element of a computer program
that activates and controls a particular function.

Preparing for the task to be undertaken includes

proper tool selection.
1. How do you select the best tool for the job? First,
know and understand in detail the scope of work to be
accomplished, second, plan for the scope taking into
account the sequence of tasks.
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2. Selecting the best tool for each task requires training in the
proper use of the tools, field experience in their safe use, and
following the manufacturer’s guidance and instructions for
that specific tool.
3. When obtaining the tool all the associated tooling and
consumable parts, as recommended by the manufacturer,
must be included. In addition, related consumable parts must
also be selected and used according to their manufacturer’s
instructions.

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Hardware Tools

Four categories of hardware tools:

• Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) tools
• Hand tools
• Cleaning tools
• Diagnostic tools

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Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) Tools

Static electricity is easily generated by friction

on carpets, tile flooring, clothing, hair, fabric,
and etc.
Anti-static wrist strap – used to prevent ESD
damage to computer equipment.

Anti-static mat – used to stand on or place

hardware on to prevent static electricity from
building up.

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Hand Tools
A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a
physical system using only hands.

Flat head screwdriver – used to

loosen or tighten slotted screws.

Philips head screwdriver – used to

loosen or tighten crosshead screws.
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Torx screwdriver - used to loosen or

tighten screws that have a star-like
depression on the top, a feature that
is mainly found on laptop.

Hex driver – sometimes called a nut

driver, is used to tighten nuts in the
same way that a screwdriver tightens
screws.

Needle-nose plier – used to hold

small parts.
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Wire cutter – used to strip and cut

wires.

Tweezers – used to manipulate

small parts.

Part retriever – used to retrieve

parts from location that are to
small for your hand to fit.

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Flashlight – used to light up areas

that you cannot see well.

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Cleaning Tools

Lint-free cloth –used to clean

different computer components
without scratching or leaving debris.
Compressed air – used to blow
away dust and debris from different
computer parts without touching
the components.
Cable ties – used to bundle cables
neatly inside and outside of a
computer.

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Parts organizer – used to hold

screw, jumpers, fasteners and
other small parts and prevents
them from getting mixed
together.

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Diagnostic Tools
Multimeter – used to test the
integrity of circuits and the
quality of electricity in computer
components.

Loopback Adapter – used to test

the functionality of computer
ports.
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PROPER USE OF TOOLS
Proper Use of ESD Tools
The purpose of an antistatic wrist strap is to
equalize the electrical charge between you and
the equipment.
The wrist strap has two parts and is easy
to wear:
1. Wrap the strap around your wrist and
secure it using the snap or Velcro. The
metal on the back of the wrist strap
must remain in contact with your skin at
all times.

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2. Snap the connector at the end of the wire to

the wrist strap, and connect the other end
either to the equipment or to the same
grounding point that the antistatic mat is
connected to. The metal skeleton of the case is a
good place to connect the wire. When
connecting the wire to equipment that you are
working on, choose an unpainted metal surface.
A painted surface does not conduct the
electricity as well as unpainted metal.

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An antistatic mat is slightly conductive. It works

by drawing static electricity away from a
component and transferring it safely from
equipment to a grounding point:
1. Lay the mat on the workspace next to or under
the computer case.
2. Clip the mat to the case to provide a grounded
surface on which you can place parts as you
remove them from the system.

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Proper Use of Hand Tools

Screw
o Match each screw with the proper screwdriver. Place the
tip of the screwdriver on the head of the screw.
o Turn the screwdriver clockwise to tighten the screw and
counterclockwise to loosen the screw.

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Flat head screwdriver

o Use a flat head screwdriver when you are
working with a slotted screw.
o Do not use a flat head screwdriver to remove a
Phillips head screw.
o If you cannot remove a component, check to
see if there is a clip or latch that is securing the
component in place.

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Phillips head screwdriver

• Use a Phillips head screwdriver with
crosshead screws.
• Do not use this type of screwdriver to
puncture anything. This will damage the
head of the screwdriver.

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Hex driver
• Use a hex driver to loosen and tighten bolts
that have a hexagonal (six-sided) head.
• Hex bolts should not be over-tightened
because the threads of the bolts can be
stripped.
• Do not use a hex driver that is too large for
the bolt that you are using.

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Part retriever, Needle-nose pliers, or tweezers

• The part retriever, needle-nose pliers, and
tweezers can be used to place and retrieve
parts that may be hard to reach with your
fingers.
• Do not scratch or hit any components when
using these tools.
CAUTION: Pencils should not be used inside the
computer to change the setting of switches or to pry
off jumpers. The pencil lead can act as a conductor
and may damage the computer components.

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Proper Use of Cleaning Materials

• Keeping computers clean inside and out is a vital part

of a maintenance program.
• Dirt can cause problems with the physical operation
of fans, buttons, and other mechanical components.
• On electrical components, an excessive buildup of
dust will act like an insulator and trap the heat. This
insulation will impair the ability of heat sinks and
cooling fans to keep components cool, causing chips
and circuits to overheat and fail.

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Cautions:
• When compressed air is used to clean inside
the computer, the air should be blown
around the components with a minimum
distance of four inches from the nozzle.
• The power supply and the fan should be
cleaned from the back of the case.
• Before cleaning any device, turn it off and
unplug the device from the power source.
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Computer Cases and Monitors

• Clean computer cases and the outside of
monitors with a mild cleaning solution on a
damp, lint-free cloth. Mix one drop of
dishwashing liquid with four ounces of water to
create the cleaning solution.

• If any water drips inside the case, allow enough

time for the liquid to dry before powering on
the computer.
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LCD Screens
• Do not use ammoniated glass cleaners or
any other solution on an LCD screen, unless
the cleaner is specifically designed for the
purpose. Harsh chemicals will damage the
coating on the screen.
• There is no glass protecting these screens,
so be gentle when cleaning them and do not
press firmly on the screen.

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CRT Screens
• To clean the screens of CRT monitors,
dampen a soft, clean, lint-free cloth with
distilled water and wipe the screen from top
to bottom.
• Then use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the screen
and remove any streaking after you have
cleaned the monitor.
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Keyboard
• Clean a desktop keyboard with compressed air
or a small, hand-held vacuum cleaner with a
brush attachment.

Caution: Never use a standard vacuum cleaner

inside a computer case. The plastic parts of the
vacuum cleaner can build up static electricity and
discharge to the components. Use only a vacuum
approved for electronic components.

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Mouse
• Use glass cleaner and a soft cloth to clean
the outside of the mouse.
• Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the
mouse. If cleaning a ball mouse, you can
remove the ball and clean it with glass
cleaner and a soft cloth. Wipe the rollers
clean inside the mouse with the same cloth.
• Do not spray any liquids inside the mouse.
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Hazard Identification, Risk

Assessment, and Risk Control
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a
planned system of working to prevent illness and
injury where you work by recognizing and
identifying hazards and risks.
There are three steps used to manage health and
safety at work:
1. Spot the Hazard (Hazard Identification)
2. Assess the Risk (Risk Assessment)
3. Make the Changes (Risk Control)

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Using the Think Safe Steps

1. Spot the Hazard
A hazard is anything that could hurt you or someone
else.
Examples of workplace hazards include:
• Frayed electrical cords (could result in electrical
shock)
• Boxes stacked precariously (they could fall on
someone)
• Noisy machinery (could result in damage to your
hearing)
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2. Assess the Risk

Assessing the risk means working out how likely
it is that a hazard will harm someone and how
serious the harm could be.
Whenever you spot a hazard, assess the risk by
asking yourself two questions:
• How likely is it that the hazard could harm me
or someone else?
• How badly could I or someone else be
harmed?
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3. Make the Changes

It is your employer's responsibility to fix
hazards. Sometimes you may be able to fix
simple hazards yourself, as long as you don't put
yourself or others at risk.

For example, you can pick up things from the

floor and put them away to eliminate a trip
hazard.

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Common hazards encountered by computer

technicians and users
A hazard is a situation in the workplace that has
the potential to harm the health and safety of
people or to damage plant and equipment.

Hazard management is a continuous process that

can be used to improve the health and safety of
all workplaces.

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Physical Hazards
• One of the most common physical hazards involving computer
technicians is cables running across the floor.
• If you need to temporarily run a cable across the floor, place a
Danger sign similar to those "wet floor" signs used by cleaning
services.
• For cables that are temporary but will need to run across the floor
for a longer period of time, use "gaffers tape". Gaffers tape is a
heavy tape with strong adhesive to stick to the floor. It comes in a
wide range of colors, from unintrusive matte black to hazard
warning red.
• For long term cable routing there is a wide variety of cable
organizing devices like cable ties, cable wraps, and cable raceways
which can be used to run cable safely along the wall or ceiling.

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Other common physical hazards include

leaving tools on top of ladders and placing
electronic equipment in precarious positions
or on support that is not sturdy enough or not
designed for holding electronic equipment.

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Mechanical Hazards
o When working on electronic equipment, ask
yourself "Is there any way this equipment could
hurt me?‖. You might stick your hand in a
printer and suddenly the paper feed arm
moves, feeding not only paper through the
printer, but a piece of your finger too.
o You might move your hand past a computer
chassis and lose a chunk of flesh because it is
razor sharp. When working on electronic
equipment always be alert to any possibility of
being hurt by moving parts, hot components, or
sharp edges.
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Chemical Hazards
• There is a wide array of chemicals used with
electronic equipment. There are display cleaning
chemicals, keyboard cleaning chemicals, compressed
gas dirt and dust removers, and many cleaning
solvents. Some of these chemicals can be harmful if
accidentally swallowed, get on bare skin, or get in
eyes. Before using any chemicals for electronic
equipment always read the warnings and instructions
on the label.
• Also be very careful when dealing with inkjet printer
cartridges, or laser printer toner cartridges. Ink and
toner can stain skin, clothing, and carpet.

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Electric Shock Hazard

• Inside computers and electronic equipment, there is a range of
voltages from 3.3 volts to 25 volts, most of these are harmless.
But at the power supply, you'll find line voltage, which is a lethal
220 volts.
• Most of the time while working inside computers and electronic
equipment, you'll want them unplugged from the wall socket. If
you need to work on equipment while it is still plugged in or
powered up, remove all jewelry and wrist watches.
• If you must work inside a line power distribution box, wear an
electrician’s rubber insulated gloves and safety glasses. You
might think you don't need these safety devices because you are
going to be extra careful, but one little slip could cause a flaming
explosion that could take off your hand, embed shrapnel in your
eyes, or conduct electricity through your heart, where it takes
only 10 milliamps (0.01) to kill a human.

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