Safety Standards in Electronics Industry
Electronics is a potentially dangerous hobby. Any circuit that works with 120 VAC power from an electrical outlet is especially dangerous and could potentially kill you. Here are some safety guidelines to keep you safe as you work:
- Never work on a circuit while power is applied.
- Do not connect power to a circuit until the circuit is finished and you have carefully checked your work.
- If you smell anything burning, immediately disconnect the power and examine your circuit to find out what went wrong.
- Keep your work area dry.
- Always wear safety goggles.
- Be careful around large capacitors; they can continue to hold voltage long after they are disconnected from power.
- Be especially careful when you solder because a hot soldering iron can easily burn you.
- Always work in a well-ventilated space.
- Have safety equipment such as a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, and a phone nearby.
HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY
The electrical safety develops with the technical progress. In 1989 OSHA promulgated a much-needed regulation in the General Industry Regulations. Several standards are defined for control of hazardous energy, or lockout/tagout. In 1995 OSHA was successful in promulgation of regulations for utility. In 1994 were established Electrical Safety Foundation International non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace.
- Standard 29 CFR 1910.269 — for electric power generation, transmission, and distribution, contained comprehensive regulations and addressed control of hazardous energy sources for power plant locations
Standards are compared with those of IEEE and National Fire Protection Association.
Lightning and earthing protection
Lightning and Earthing protection systems are essential for the protection of humans, structures, protecting buildings from mechanical destruction caused by lightning effects and the associated risk of fire, Transmission lines, and electrical equipment from electric shock and Overcurrent.
Earthing protection systems
- TT system
- TN system
- IT system
Lightning protection systems
- lightning rod (simple rod or with triggering system)
- lightning rod with taut wires.
- lightning conductor with meshed cage (Faraday cage)
OSHA Standards
The best known name in workplace safety is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. OSHA regulates many different aspects of workplace safety, including electrical safety. Some of their most important standards are the following:
- Personal Protection Equipment — OSHA requires that the right electrical protective equipment is worn or used whenever working on dangerous electrical systems.
- Safety for Electricity Generation — Those who work in electrical power generation, transmission, and distribution need to follow the special instructions for this industry.
NFPA Standards
The National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, is another group that provides safety standards focused on electricity. Their most famous set of standards is called NFPA 70, and is also known by the name ‘National Electrical Code.’ These standards set forth safety requirements that offer a great balance of workplace safety with productivity. Their standards identify shock protection boundaries, arc flash safety, lockout-tagout systems, and more. While NFPA doesn’t have any legal enforcement power, they are among the most respected agencies in the country, and are voluntarily followed by millions of companies. If a company doesn’t follow the standards, they can’t claim to be NFPA compliant.
Keeping Up with Changing Standards
OSHA, NFPA, and other groups are constantly working on finding newer and better ways to work with electrical systems that will keep everyone safe. As new and improved best practices are developed, the standards released by these groups are updated. All companies are responsible for keeping up with the latest changes to ensure everyone is protected.
ELECTRONIC CHEMICAL
“Growth in the electronic chemical marketplace is, and will continue to be, driven by technology and environmental concerns,” says Rich Jahr, vice president, electronics for Air Liquide America Corp., Dallas. “The growth that we are seeing is not due to lack of capacity. Rather, the new technology for the next generation of devices that offer higher speeds and require better heat dissipation, resistance and capacitance delay and electro migration is driving growth. This new generation of devices requires new processes and materials, which are increasingly more complex to develop and introduce to the market.”
Electronic chemical suppliers are expected to rebound from a relatively weak showing in 1998 and early 1999, says a recent report from The Freedonia Group, Cleveland.* Worldwide demand is forecast to grow more than 10 percent per year to $17.6 billion in 2004. In the United States alone, electronic chemicals are projected to increase 8.5 percent per year to approximately $6 billion in 2005, says another Freedonia Group report.
SAFETY HAZARDS IN ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY
The electronics industry is booming everywhere in the world. Most people have always believed that the working environment of the electronics industry is relatively clean and safe, without heavy labor and pollution such as smoke and dust. As a result, it has become one of the preferred industries for women’s employment. However, people working in this industry have faced health risks without realizing it, because the common occupational hazards in the electronics industry, such as toxic and hazardous chemicals, extremely small metal dust, radiation, and noise, are almost invisible. Therefore, these conditions can be described as an unpredictable occupational health risk. Every year since the beginning of the 21st century more than 30% of these safety hazard cases are reports of organic solvent poisoning. Organic solvent poisoning has become one of the most serious causes of occupational disease, and the electronics industry has been ranked as the first-place industry for organic solvent hazards.
Group Members:
26 Atharwa Kharkar (GRN 11910266)
28 Himanshu Kurzekar (GRN 11910468)
29 Vishwesh Mente (GRN 11910264)
31 Rutuj Mutha (GRN 11910449)
