Health and Safety – PC Repair
People often ignore the risks involved in opening and operating on your computers interior, or many people don’t realize just how dangerous it can be. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, health and safety is of the out-most importance, thankfully, staying safe while working on your computer is relatively easy.
Switching off
The first step, which is also the most important one, is to stop the flow of electricity into your computer. Turn off your computer and remove anything that is plugged into it. If your computer was only turned off, after removing the plug, wait a few minutes before touching any of the components.
If your motherboard has lights that light up when being supplied power, you can use them as an indication as to whether or not there is still power going through the computer. Some Power supply units come with a power switch at the back of them, make sure you switch that off as well.
Remove Accessories and Jewellery
If you want to avoid being shocked, removing metal rings, watches and other conductive materials is a good start to preventing just that. I would also recommend removing any accessories that are liable to be caught on or scrap against components, to avoid damaging them.
Warning of the senses
If you smell something burning, see a component that is burnt or hear something that doesn’t sound normal, stop what you’re doing, make sure there is no power computer to the computer, find the culprit, remove and replace it as soon as possible. If it is the power supply, be extremely careful, the capacitors within the PSU store electricity and can give off life threatening jolts.
Power Supply Units
As mentioned above, your computers PSU stores electricity and is very dangerous to work on. In fact, most PC Repair professionals avoid the power supply unit all together, components such as this are non-serviceable and it is recommended that you don’t even open it.
Anti-Static
It is often debated, just how effective wearing an Anti-Static wristband or using an Anti-Static mat when working on a computer is. I don’t use either on most occasions, and after servicing 400+ computers I can report that I have never received a shock nor have I ever damaged a component through electrostatic discharge.
You can make up your own mind when it comes to using anti-static equipment, but if you do not have any anti-static equipment, don’t worry too much about it.
Now that you know how to safely open the chassis, you’re ready to start repairing or upgrading your computer.
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