Safety

General Safety Considerations & Protocols

• Understand the importance of safety protocols when working with electronic and microelectronic control systems.
• Be familiar with standard operating procedures (SOP) and emergency response plans.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety glasses, gloves, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) safe clothing.
• Make sure the workspace is clean, well-lit and properly ventilated with unobstructed exit routes.
• Do not operate equipment when under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or when feeling unwell.

Electrical Safety

• Know that electricity can cause burns, shocks, and even death; do not take its potential for harm lightly.
• Always switch off and unplug electrical devices before working on them.
• Understand the concepts of electric shock and how it is caused (e.g., through direct contact with live parts or short circuits).
• Associate electric currents passing through the body with cardiac arrest, burns and muscle contractions.
• Identify the main cause of electrical shocks as coming into contact with parts that are ‘live’ and grounded at the same time.

Soldering Safety

• Comprehend the hazards of inhalation of fumes produced during soldering.
• Understand how to mitigate these hazards through the usage of extraction equipment.
• Ensure safe handling of soldering irons to avoid burn injuries.
• Be mindful of the potential for burns from hot components and for eye injury from hot solder splashes.
• Recognise the risks associated with lead-based solders and use lead-free alternatives if possible.

Antistatic Safety

• Understand the risks of electrostatic discharge (ESD) and its potentially damaging effects on electronic components.
• Know that electrostatic charge can build up on humans, tools, and other non-conductive materials.
• Use ESD-safe workstations, wristbands, footwear and other antistatic equipment to prevent ESD.
• Store sensitive components in antistatic bags.

Component Handling

• Grasp the fact that electronic components can be sensitive to heat, static, and mechanical force.
• Handle sensitive components, like microcontrollers and FPGAs, delicately to avoid damage.
• Mindful of the polarity of components such as diodes, electrolytic capacitors and transistors.
• Notice that incorrect insertion of these components can cause damage to the components or the entire circuit.