Lesson 5: Occupational Health and Safety

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 1

Introduction 2

Essential Questions 3

Bench Marks 3

General Notes 4

Overlook 4

Blueprint 6

Gear Up! 6
Overview on Creating the Study Guide 6
Writing Style 7
Images 8
Table Format 11
Math Equation Editor 11
Calculations 13
Copyright and Plagiarism 14

Check Up 14

Tinker Time 16

Production Time 17

Recap 17

Bibliography 18

Glossary 19

1
GRADE 7/8

Safety in Consumer Electronics Servicing

Introduction

Fig. 1 Light bulb plugged in an electric socket SOURCE: PIXABAY.COM

It is a well-known fact that most of the appliances are powered by electricity. Handling
electricity can be very dangerous when a person does not observe health and safety
guidelines. The human body is made up mostly of water. Water, in particular, is a good
conductor of electricity. Hence, humans are actually prone to detrimental effects of electricity.
That is why it is important that you study this unit carefully. In this unit you will learn about
health hazards, occupational risks, safety practices, use of personal protective equipment, and
maintain occupational health and safety awareness.

2
Essential Questions

3
 Bench Marks

In this lesson, you should be able to:

● Identify hazards in the electronics laboratory;
● Enumerate different health hazards and risks found in the workplace;
● State the effects of health hazards and occupational risks;
● Control hazards and risks in the electronics laboratory;
● Create safety nets in order to control the hazards and risks in the workplace;
● Identify the different Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
● Distinguish advantages from disadvantages of practicing Occupational Health and
Safety (OHS) in the workplace;
● Create checklist on maintaining Occupational Health and Safety (OHS); and
● Distinguish the 5S in maintaining health and safety in the workplace.

4
General Notes

5
 Overlook

Fig. 2 A Consumer Electronics Technician At Work source: PIXABAY.com

Nowadays, science fiction can be found all over pop culture. Movies, television shows, comics,
or even books are filled with depictions of high-tech laboratories. In this unit, you will learn
about how the electronics laboratory can be a safe haven and the birthplace of so many
amazing inventions in the field of electronics. Before you start this chapter, get a piece of
paper and draw your idea of a high-tech laboratory that is clean, orderly, safe, and a
productive environment for all consumer electronics technicians. Be prepared to share your
drawing with the class. Use any art materials of your preference to beautifully illustrate your
dream electronics laboratory.

6
 Blueprint

Fig. 3 An ax on a lumber source: PIXABAY.com

The use of electricity in electronics laboratories can be very detrimental to humans if safety
regulations and hazard control practices are not strictly observed. It may cause an electric
shock or worse, death. Consumer electronics technicians deal with open wires and grounded
electrical appliances, among others, which increases the probability of accidents or hazards.
The government adopted Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) that provides an
exclusive list of workplaces that are considered hazardous or dangerous.

7
There are two causes of unfavorable situations in the workplace: hazards and accidents. A
hazard is any factor that could cause danger to a person and some examples are electric
shock, heat, radiation, falling debris or toxic substances. These are the situations that would
most probably lead to detrimental effects on the health and well-being of the workers. On the
other hand, accidents are unforeseen and unfavorable events that leads to any kind of harm
on the workers. Accidents are sometimes caused by negligence in following organization
procedures or natural calamities.

People set up organization procedures regarding safety regulations and hazard control
practices that would help minimize or eliminate risk in the work environment of consumer
electronics technicians. Part of these procedures are contingency measures that cater to
accidents brought about by fire or other forces of nature.

Identifying Risks

The best way to identify risks is to be familiar with what to avoid and prevent in the workplace.
Before starting a project, one must scan the current status and condition of the electronics
laboratory and point out the dangerous threats. As you can see, table 1 summarizes the
different hazards that you should look out for in the practice of consumer electronics
servicing.

Hazard Description

Electrical This risk is so detrimental to the safety of a person that the exposure to
hazards sudden electrical shocks may lead to permanent injury or death. Always
keep in mind to organize the laboratory area and free of open wires, faulty
wiring, flooding near an electrical outlet, and grounded electrical
appliances.

Hazards There are several types of hand tools such as, cutting tools, driving tools,
resulting from boring tools, soldering tools, joining tools, and measuring tools. Cutting,
improper use driving, and boring tools can easily pierce the skin and the human flesh, and
of hand tools these can cause cuts or fractures. Soldering tools such as soldering iron and
soldering gun can burn the skin due to extreme heat from the tools.

8
Falling debris The laboratory has storage places that should be utilized accordingly. Do
and not place the tools, equipment, or materials on unsecured high surfaces to
improperly lower the risk of falling debris that may damage a person’s head.
placed
objects

Rowdy The electronics laboratory is not a place for rowdy behavior and
behavior unnecessary movements. Most objects in the laboratory are fragile and
hazardous if damaged.

Negligence People in the electronics laboratory must observe proper diligence in

maintaining tools, materials and equipment. And make sure that the
orderliness of the laboratory is upheld. Presence of mind while working is
also crucial for a technician to avoid harm in dealing with electricity.
Table. 1 Hazards in the workplace

Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in accordance to Safety Requirements

Personal protective equipment is an encompassing term for all equipment which humans can
wear for protection against hazards in the workplace. It is the duty of the employers and/or
management to provide the workers their respective personal protective equipment in
accordance with organization protocols. Each workplace situation asks for a specific type of
personal protective equipment. After using the PPE, it must be stored in a clean storage room
which is accessible to all the workers. Consumer electronics technicians must use PPE while
working on their projects and keeping in mind safety requirements in handling tools,
materials, and equipment in the laboratory.

9
Image Safety Requirement Description

Avoid using the heaviest Use lightweight tools to avoid injury. However,
weight tool possible if heavy tools are unavoidable, attach
mechanical support to continuously hold the
tool for you while working. If there is no
available mechanical support, install
compartments on your workstation so you can
rest the tools from time to time. Use plastic
gloves when dealing with electricity.

Apply additional force in Make sure that the tool’s center of gravity is
using an unbalanced near the body, proximate to the handles, and
tool in line with the center of hand holding the
tool. Use appropriate laboratory coat to avoid
dirt from staining your clothes. Do not walk
around barefoot when moving boxes or
laboratory equipment.

Apply high force to In order to avoid the rotation of the torque

maintain torque control out of your hand, the settings should be set to
its lowest. Also, do not engage working on an
electrical device without disconnecting it first
from the power source.

Tool handles must be Tool handles must allow contact of the hand
design for a stable and and the fingers. They must be made of
efficient grip non-slip compressibles and non-conductive
material for a more efficient work and
reduced risk of danger. Furthermore, the
handle should be either cylindrical or oval in
shape, with a diameter from 1.25 inches to
1.75 inches.

10
Span of two-handled For two-handled manual tools such as pliers,
manual tools should be the open span should be about 4 inches while
comfortable for the user the closed span should be about 1.5 inches.
These handles must have a spring-loaded
mechanism to reduce mechanical stress on
the fingers and muscular effort as well.
Otherwise, it would be tiresome for
technicians to repeatedly use the tools. Always
remember to bend the tool and not the wrist
to avoid injury especially when using
pistol-shaped tools.

Do not bend over your This is to deter long-lasting negative effects on

work the spine and posture.

Do not engage in Apart from the fact that overhead work is

overhead work more difficult, it is always more efficient to just
use a ladder when working on high places.
Always use a hardhat during work.

Elbows must be close to This must be done to avoid the unnecessary

the body at all times twisting of the elbow that can result to a
long-lasting injury.

Do not tilt the wrist Instead of tilting the wrist to adjust to your
project, tilt the work surface instead as to not
overstress the wrist.

11
Stand on both feet Do not put the weight of the body on one foot
only since this cause long-term negative
effects on the muscles and posture. When
exhaustion hits, inform the people in the
laboratory that you are going to rest. This is
also why it is important to never work alone in
an electronics laboratory. Other people can
also help during accidents.

Sit up straight Improper posture while sitting can cause

spine problems. Adjust the seat height to your
back instead and use it for support. Use
protective eyewear or goggles while working.
Table. 2 Safety Requirements with the Use of PPE

12
 Gear Up!
Maintaining Tools and Safety Procedures

Fig. 3. A common workshop of a mechanic. source: PIXABAY.com

Apart from avoiding the danger brought about by malfunctioning tools, it is also important
that tools are maintained because properly kept tools last longer. Take note of these four
pointers in maintaining your tools:

1. Before using the tools, make sure that the tools are not damaged and in good working
condition.
2. After using the tools, clean thoroughly using a damp cloth.
3. Oil the metal parts of the tools as protection from air, water, or rust.
4. Store the tools in a dry, clean, and safe storage.

13
On the other hand, safety procedure must be inculcated in the mind of a technician for his
safety and the wellness of others.

1. Wear appropriate laboratory clothing. Make sure that your outfit will not interfere with
your work. Ties, watches, and jewelry should not be worn while working.
2. Injuries or accidents must be reported at once to the people in authority such as the
teacher or the laboratory supervisor.
3. Do not put any small metal articles of any kind inside or near the mouth because of the
possible toxic components of such objects.
4. Do not throw tools around the laboratory and place them in a safe area. Cutting tools
should not be placed on the edge of the table or workbench.
5. Maintain the cleanliness of the electronics laboratory.
6. Do not carry heavy tools on your own. Seek help to avoid injury and accidents.
7. Busted tools should not be used anymore and placed in a storage for damaged tools.
8. Report damaged tools to the proper authorities in the laboratory.
9. Memorize and familiarize yourself with the safety measures for each tool or procedure.

In all laboratories, there are minimum requirements on how to act accordingly for your own
safety and wellness. These three requirements are applicable in all electronic laboratories that
heavily deals with electricity. First, diligently follow all the cautions, warnings, and instructions
written on tools, materials, and equipment. Second, make sure that the voltage and frequency
rating of the power outlet is the same with the electrical rating labels on the system to prevent
overloading of the circuit. Lastly, do not use power outlets that appears to be busted and
dangerous.

Maintaining Safety in the Workplace

To reiterate, safety in the workplace does not end in identifying the hazards in the workplace.
To ensure the safety of the workers, it must be a continued effort from the organization and
the workers themselves. The following measures must be practiced in an electronics
laboratory to highlight the goals of occupational health and safety practices:

1. Do not place any obstruction along the passageway for easy movement especially when
there are emergencies regarding natural calamities.

14
 2. Do not work in any “live” electronic or electrical circuits. Always check the wires before
engaging.
3. Check the status and condition of the tools and equipment before using.
4. The instructions from the person-in-charge must be followed and given utmost
importance.
5. Do not play in the electronics laboratory where people are supposed to be working.
6. Do not use tools or equipment that you do not know how to operate.
7. Do not put the hand tools in your pocket. Place it in its rightful storage place.
8. Do not use malfunctioning tools.
9. Report accidents and injuries to the teacher even if it is only a minor incident.
10. Do not be messy in the work area.

Keep in mind that even if you follow these safety procedures, sometimes accidents happen. In
that case, always make sure that the electronics laboratory has a fire extinguisher nearby and
a first aid kit.

The Department of Labor and Employment defined First Aid Treatment as, “adequate,
immediate and necessary medical and/or dental attendance or remedy given in case of injury
or sudden illness suffered by the workers, irrespective of whether or not such illness/injury is
occupational in nature, before more extensive medical and/or dental treatment can be
secured. It does not include following treatment for an injury or illness.”

The same standards also enumerated the duties of the First-Aider:

(1) Give immediate temporary treatment in case of injury or illness, before the services of a
physician becomes available. If the case needs a physician the first-aider shall immediately
call or refer the injured to one;
(2) Participate in the maintenance of occupational safety and health programs, if a member of
the Safety Committee; and
(3) Maintain medical services and facilities.

Some examples of typical first aid treatment are as follows:

Electric Shock
1. Turn off the electricity power or move the person from the electric current using a
non-conductor like plastic.

15
 2. If the person is is not moving, perform CPR
3. Warm the person as much as possible
4. Cover and disinfect the burned areas

Minor Cuts or Scrapes

1. Inspect the gravity of the cut or scrape by examining the skin around the punctured
area
2. Wash the cut or scrape
3. Disinfect the cut or scrape
4. Use a Band-Aid or a gauze to cover the punctured skin

Closed Fracture
1. Do not move the patient from his or her location
2. Look for a splint and wrap it around the fractured area
3. Make sure that the fractured area will not be moved
4. Call a medical practitioner

Bleeding
1. Wrap the wound with gauze or cloth
2. Apply pressure on the wound to induce blood clot
3. Keep the cloth or gauze until a licensed medical practitioner arrives

Simple Burns
1. Apply cold water on the burned area for several minutes
2. Wrap the burned area with gauze

Heat Exhaustion
1. Transport the person to a well ventilated place
2. Give him fluids to replenish what he lost
3. Put on a cool cloth on forehead or back of the neck
4. Immediately contact a licensed medical practitioner to avoid the risk of heat stroke

16
 Try This!
Answer the following questions.

1. What is the Occupational Safety and Health Standards?

2. Why is every safety regulations and workplace safety hazard control practices differ
from one organization to another?
3. What is safety?
4. What is an electronics laboratory?
5. What is an electric shock?

Tinker Time!

Your task is to interview a consumer electronics technician employed in a workshop. Your goal
is to compare the actual safety precautions in their workshop from what you learned in this
chapter. As an interviewer, you must prepare a set of questionnaire before the interview that
will help you understand the safety standards practices in the real world. You need to
convince your teacher that you were able to apply the learnings from this unit to your real life
interview. The context you find yourself in is a face-to-face examination of a real life
practitioner. You will create an essay regarding your discovery in order to compare and
contrast the safety standards.

[2] [3] [4]

[1]
Criteria Needs Successful Exemplary Rating
Below expectations
Improvement performance performance
The details in the The details in the The details in the The details in the
essay are absolutely essay are lacking. essay are essay are
lacking. complete. complete and the
Detail-Orientedness description are
very detailed.

The essay does not The essay contains The essay contains The essay
contain any few concepts from enough concepts contains all
Application of the concepts concepts from the the chapter. from the chapter. concepts from the
chapter. chapter.

The essay is not The essay is slightly The essay is The essay
presentable. presentable. presentable. exceeded the
Presentation
expectations of
the teacher.

17
 Check Up

A. True or False.
1. It is dangerous to touch a person currently suffering from an electric shock.
2. Electricity is absolutely safe for humans.
3. Open wires are not safe to work with.
4. One must unplug an appliance before working.
5. A technician can wear an earring while working.
6. A first aid kit is a necessity in an electronics laboratory.
7. Grounded electrical appliances increases the probability of accidents or hazards.
8. A hazard can be in the form of falling debris.
9. The best way to identify risks is to be familiar with what to avoid and prevent in
the workplace.
10. Electrical shocks will not lead to death.

B. Answer the following questions.

1. What do you have to keep in mind when organizing the laboratory area?
2. Why do you need to be wary of improper use of hand tools?
3. What is the negative effect of soldering tools?
4. Why do you need to keep a first aid kit in an electronics laboratory?
5. Why is rowdy behavior frowned upon in the laboratory?

C. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is it that a technician cannot be negligent while working?
2. What is the effect of improperly placed objects on the top shelf?
3. What is the next step after using a Personal Protective Equipment or PPE?
4. What would you do if there are no mechanical support available?
5. How do you use unbalanced tools?

18
 Production Time
The Safety Skit

Your task is to create a short skit applying the safety procedures that you learned in this
chapter. There must be five or more people in one group. Your goal is to be able to present in
front of the class and get your message across. As the presenter, you must be able to explain
how the safety procedures benefit consumer electronics technician. You need to convince
your teacher that you were able to apply the learnings from this unit to this project. The
context you find yourself in is the same scenario that the consumer electronics technician
experiences when applying the occupational safety and health standards.

[2] [3] [4]

[1]
Criteria Needs Successful Exemplary Rating
Below expectations
Improvement performance performance
The information The information The information The information
presented are presented are presented presented are
absolutely lacking. lacking. requested are complete and the
Detail-Orientedness complete. description are
very detailed.

The presentation do The presentation The presentation The presentation

not contain any contain few contain enough contain all
Application of the concepts concepts from the concepts from the concepts from the concepts from the
chapter. chapter. chapter. chapter.

The performance is The performance is The performance is The performance

not presentable. slightly presentable. presentable. exceeded the
Presentation
expectations of
the teacher.

19
Recap

Hazard Description

Electrical This risk is so detrimental to the safety of a person that the exposure to
hazards sudden electrical shocks may lead to permanent injury or death. Always
keep in mind to organize the laboratory area and free of open wires,
faulty wiring, flooding near an electrical outlet, and grounded electrical
appliances.

Hazards As you learned from the previous chapters, there are several types of
resulting from hand tools such as, cutting tools, driving tools, boring tools, soldering
improper use tools, joining tools, and measuring tools. Cutting, driving, and boring
of hand tools tools can easily pierce the skin and the human flesh that can cause cuts
or fracture. Soldering tools such as soldering iron and soldering gun can
burn the skin due to extreme heat from the tools.

20
Falling debris The laboratory has storage places that should be utilized accordingly. Do
and not place the tools, equipment, or materials on unsecured high surfaces
improperly to lower the risk of falling debris that may damage a person’s head.
placed objects

Rowdy The electronics laboratory is not a place for rowdy behavior and
behavior unnecessary movements. Most objects in the laboratory are fragile and
hazardous if damaged.

Negligence People in the electronics laboratory must observe proper diligence in

maintaining tools, materials and equipment. And make sure that the
orderliness of the laboratory is upheld. Presence of mind while working is
also crucial for a technician to avoid harm in dealing with electricity.

Image Safety Requirement Description

Avoid using the heaviest Use lightweight tools to avoid injury. However,
weight tool possible if heavy tools are unavoidable, attach
mechanical support to continuously hold the
tool for you while working. If there is no
available mechanical support, install
compartments on your workstation so you can
rest the tools from time to time. Use plastic
gloves when dealing with electricity.

Apply additional force in Make sure that the tool’s center of gravity is
using an unbalanced near the body, proximate to the handles, and
tool in line with the center of hand holding the
tool. Use appropriate laboratory coat to avoid
dirt from staining your clothes. Do not walk
around barefoot when moving boxes or
laboratory equipment.

21
Apply high force to In order to avoid the rotation of the torque
maintain torque control out of your hand, the settings should be set to
its lowest. Also, do not engage working on an
electrical device without disconnecting it first
from the power source.

Tool handles must be Tool handles must allow contact of the hand
design for a stable and and the fingers. They must be made of
efficient grip non-slip compressibles and non-conductive
material for a more efficient work and
reduced risk of danger. Furthermore, the
handle should be either cylindrical or oval in
shape, with a diameter from 1.25 inches to
1.75 inches.

Span of two-handled For two-handled manual tools such as pliers,

manual tools should be the open span should be about 4 inches while
comfortable for the user the closed span should be about 1.5 inches.
These handles must have a spring-loaded
mechanism to reduce mechanical stress on
the fingers and muscular effort as well.
Otherwise, it would be tiresome for
technicians to repeatedly use the tools. Always
remember to bend the tool and not the wrist
to avoid injury especially when using
pistol-shaped tools.

Do not bend over your This is to deter long-lasting negative effects on

work the spine and posture.

22
Do not engage in Apart from the fact that overhead work is
overhead work more difficult, it is always more efficient to just
use a ladder when working on high places.
Always use a hardhat during work.

Elbows must be close to This must be done to avoid the unnecessary

the body at all times twisting of the elbow that can result to a
long-lasting injury.

Do not tilt the wrist Instead of tilting the wrist to adjust to your
project, tilt the work surface instead as to not
overstress the wrist.

Stand on both feet Do not put the weight of the body on one foot
only since this cause long-term negative
effects on the muscles and posture. When
exhaustion hits, inform the people in the
laboratory that you are going to rest. This is
also why it is important to never work alone in
an electronics laboratory. Other people can
also help during accidents.

Sit up straight Improper posture while sitting can cause

spine problems. Adjust the seat height to your
back instead and use it for support. Use
protective eyewear or goggles while working.

23
 Bibliography
Alli, Benjamin O. 2008. Fundamental Principles of Occupational Health and Safety. Switzerland:
International Labour Organization.

Department of Education. “K to 12: Technology and Livelihood Education Learning Module:

“Electronics.” Manila: Department of Education.

Department of Labor and Employment. 2016. Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
Manila: Occupational Safety and Health Center.

Department of Labor and Employment. “Kaso ng Pagkakasakit Dahil Sa Trabaho.” Accessed

November 13, 2018.
http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/content/press-releases/65-kaso-ng-pagkakasakit-dahil-sa-t
rabaho.

Department of Labor and Employment. “DOLE Department Order No. 53-02.” Accessed
November 13, 2018.
http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/content/press-releases/63-dole-department-order-no-53-03.

Glossary

Accidents are unforeseen and unfavorable events that leads to any kind of harm on the
workers
Electric shock is the effect when the human body suddenly conducts electricity
Electrical hazards a risk so detrimental to the safety of a person that the exposure to sudden
Electrical shocks may lead to permanent injury or death.
Electronics laboratory is the perfect place to work on consumer electronics servicing

24
projects
First Aid Treatment is the adequate, immediate and necessary medical and/or dental
attendance or remedy given in case of injury or sudden illness suffered by the workers,
irrespective of whether or not such illness/injury is occupational in nature, before more
extensive medical and/or dental treatment can be secured. It does not include following
treatment for an injury or illness
Hazard is any factor that could cause danger to a person and some examples are electric
shock, heat, radiation, falling debris or toxic substances.
Injury involves physical pain, wound or any other harm to the body of a person.
Occupational Safety and Health Standards is a type of science that aims to control and
prevent hazards caused by the workplace that could harm the health and well-being of
workers.
Personal protective equipment is an encompassing term for all equipment which humans
can wear for protection against hazards in the workplace
Safe handling refers to the proper knowledge on tools, equipment and materials in the
workplace and the capability to apply this knowledge skillfully and carefully during interaction.
Safety means a person is far from danger

25