LESSON 1: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Learning objectives:

After reading of this Information Sheet, you should be able to:

1. Identity the basic precautions and procedures in planning, preparing, installing and
testing of computer hardware and software.
2. Determine the effects of computers to the people, health risk, and to the
environment.

During installation and initial test, careful planning and preparation are to be done. To
avoid personal injury and damages to wiring due to sharp pins on connectors and printed
circuit assemblies, rough chassis edges and corners, and hot components.

Adhere to warnings and limitations regarding accessibility into areas designated only for
authorized technical personnel.

OHS policies and guidelines in Computer Systems Servicing

OHS or Occupational Health and Safety refers to the legislation, policies, procedures and activities
that aim to protect the health, safety and welfare of all people at the workplace.

• Always power off the computer and unplug the computer before working on it.
• Take away any liquid near your working area to avoid getting electrocuted or accidentally
damaging computer parts.
• Be careful with tools that may cause short circuit.
• Always ground or discharge yourself before touching any part of the computer.
• Do not use excessive force if things don't quite slip into place.
• Clean the area before and after using it to maintain sanitation and prevent accidents.
• Hold the components on the edges and do not touch the Integrated Circuit (IC) parts.
• Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with the organization's OHS
procedures and practices.
• Make sure that the pins are properly aligned when connecting a cable connector.
• Contingency measures during workplace accidents, fire and other emergencies are recognized.

Some basic precautions and procedures:

➢ Before starting the installation. read carefully the documentation and procedures on
any hardware and software settings that may be required.

➢ Failure to do the proper jumper setting may cause damage to your CPU.

➢ Without an effective cooling fan, the CPU can overheat and cause damage to both
CPU and the motherboard.

➢ Each bank must have the same size and type of memory installed in pairs.

➢ Before adding and removing any other system components, make sure that you
unplug your power supply. Failure to do so may cause damage to your motherboard
and in the system component.

➢ Test the computer, insuring that it meets the necessary system requirements before
booting up.

➢ If the computer does not pass any of the power on self-test (POST), the computer will
receive an irregular power on self-test an irregular POST is a beep code which is different
from the standard beep which can either be no beeps at all or a combination of
different beeps.

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Effects of computers
• Advantages of Using Computers
Benefits from using computers are possible because computers have the advantages of speed,
reliability, consistency, storage, and communications.

1. Speed
When data, instructions, and information flow along electronic circuits in a computer, they
travel at incredibly fast speeds. Many computers process billions or trillions of operations
in a single second. Processing involves computing (e.g., adding, subtracting), sorting (e.g.,
alphabetizing), organizing, displaying images, recording audio, playing music, and showing
a movie or video.

2. Reliability
The electronic components in modern computers are dependable and reliable because they
rarely break or fail.

3. Consistency
Given the same input and processes, a computer will produce the same results —
consistently. A computing phrase — known as garbage in, garbage out — points out that
the accuracy of a computer’s output depends on the accuracy of the input. For example, if
you do not use the flash on a digital camera when indoors, the resulting pictures that are
displayed on the computer screen may be unusable because they are too dark.

4. Storage
A computer can transfer data quickly from storage to memory, process it, and then store it
again for future use. Many computers store enormous amounts of data and make this data
available for processing anytime it is needed.

5. Communications
Most computers today can communicate with other computers, often wirelessly. Computers
with this capability can share any of the four information processing cycle operations —
input, process, output, and storage — with another computer or a user.

• Disadvantages of Using Computers

Some disadvantages of computers relate to health risks, the violation of privacy, public safety,
the impact on the labor force, and the impact on the environment.

1. Health Risks

Prolonged or improper computer use can lead to injuries or disorders of the hands, wrists,
elbows, eyes, neck, and back. Computer users can protect themselves from these health risks
through proper workplace design, good posture while at the computer, and appropriately
spaced work breaks. Two behavioral health risks are computer addiction and technology
overload. Computer addiction occurs when someone becomes obsessed with using a computer.
Individuals suffering from technology overload feel distressed when deprived of computers and
mobile devices. Once recognized, both computer addiction and technology overload are
treatable disorders.

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 Potential health risk for computer users
➢ Stress ➢ Abnormal general fatigue
➢ Headaches ➢ Neuropsychological disorders
➢ Irritability ➢ Increased absenteeism
➢ Insomnia ➢ Loss of productivity
➢ Eye strain ➢ Declining ability to concentrate and to
➢ Eyesight decline memorize
➢ Abnormal general fatigue ➢ Aggression and scholastic problems in
➢ Decrease in productivity and in the prepubescent children
natural resistance of immune system ➢ Predisposition to dyslexia and,
➢ Decline in libido ➢ Lowered spermatogenesis
➢ Hormonal disturbances.

2. Violation of Privacy

Nearly every life event is stored in a computer somewhere . . . in medical records, credit reports,
tax records, etc. In many instances, where personal and confidential records were not protected
properly, individuals have found their privacy violated and identities stolen.

Nearly every life event is stored in a computer somewhere--in medical records. credit reports.
tax records, etc. It is crucial that personal and confidential records be protected properly.
In many instances, where these records were not properly protected, individuals have
found their privacy violated and identities stolen.

People use computers to store their most important and private information, even though doing
so can put that information at risk of being exposed to or illegally collected by malevolent
companies or hackers. At Gibbs Law Group, we represent victims of computer privacy
violations in class action lawsuits.

Computer Data Breach & Privacy Risks

Consumers’ private information can be violated through illicit use or infiltration of a
consumer’s computer or network in a number of ways:

• Software programs

Software programs, such as games, anti-virus programs, and word processors, can
potentially access to users’ private information or expose that information to security
vulnerabilities.

• Computer (hardware) maker

Computer manufacturers may be held responsible for security vulnerabilities in their

hardware that may jeopardize purchasers’ private information.

• Third-party data collectors

Computers can be vulnerable to having private information illegally intercepted or

transmitted over server networks, the internet and other networks. Unauthorized collection
of data may be illegal under various state and federal consumer protection laws.

• Internet websites & companies

Illicitly transmitting or collecting information via online stores, social networking sites, and
other websites may put users’ private information at risk. When internet privacy violations
occur, those websites and internet companies may be liable.

Examples of Computer Privacy Breach Class Action Lawsuits

➢ Sony BMG Computer-Software Security & Privacy Class Action Lawsuit
Gibbs Law Group successfully prosecuted a class action lawsuit against Sony BMG and
others alleging that they failed to disclose that their music CDs came with a certain type of

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 software that put purchasers’ computers and private information at risk of potential
security vulnerabilities.

➢ Google Data Collection Privacy Class Action Lawsuit

Gibbs Law Group filed a class action lawsuit against Google alleging that while collecting
the panoramic images for its Street View program, Google’s vehicles also intercepted
information about wireless internet (Wi-Fi) networks along their routes, potentially
including people’s emails, passwords, browser history, videos, audio and other private
materials.

3. Public Safety

Adults, teens, and children around the world are using computers to share publicly their
photos, videos, journals, music, and other personal information. Some of these unsuspecting,
innocent computer users have fallen victim to crimes committed by dangerous strangers.
Protect yourself and your dependents from these criminals by being cautious in e-mail
messages and on Web sites. For example, do not share information that would allow others to
identify or locate you and do not disclose identification numbers, passwords, or other personal
security details.

What to do?

o Maintain a healthy skepticism about electronic identity. E-mail and newsgroup

messages can be easily forged, and you cannot always trust a website’s identity. If it is
important that you know with whom you are dealing, verify their identity independently.

o Be careful what you say in e-mail. Don’t discuss confidential matters. Think of e-mail
as a postcard that anyone can read. For information about technical solutions to the
problems of e-mail security, contact the University Information Security Officer.

o Limit the amount of personal information you share. There could be hundreds of
thousands of people reading your postings to e-mail lists and newsgroups site. Some
services archive newsgroup messages indefinitely, providing key-word search
capabilities to find anything that anyone ever posted on a public news group site.

o Also consider how much personal information you include in your e-mail signature file.
Is your home phone number or address really necessary?

o Be careful with commercial transactions over the Web. If you are buying goods or
services, use common sense. Make sure you know with whom you are dealing. Verify
their identity independently (e.g., check directory assistance to see if a
business/individual exists).

o Consider transacting business by phone, mail or in person if it’s just as easy. Be careful
of paying for something sight unseen, and be careful about sending your credit card
information over the Net. Never go to look at merchandise in a private location alone;
rather, take a friend, or better yet, arrange with the seller to meet in a public place.

o Be alert for scams that can jeopardize the security of your system or the network. Never
give out confidential information in response to e-mail or a phone call (e.g., someone
purporting to be your system administrator asks you for your password, or gives you a
new value to change it to). Be wary of unsolicited technical advice – never follow a
stranger’s instructions to type something into your computer unless you understand
the impact of what you are typing.

o Avoid pyramid schemes. A pyramid scheme is a chain letter in which recipients are
asked to send cash or something of value through the mail to early senders of the letter.
Pyramid schemes are illegal even if the solicitation is sent via e-mail or posted to a
newsgroup.

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 o Use good judgment. Do not expose yourself to legal liability by defaming a person or
organization with false and damaging information. Be careful about disclosing
information that might violate someone’s right to privacy.

o Guard your password. Don’t share it with anyone. Once you have shared it, you no
longer have any control over how your account is used. Don’t write your password down
or include it in a logon script.

o Protect your networked computer. Make sure you understand your computer’s security
mechanisms so you don’t leave it and your data unprotected. Macintosh and Windows
users should be sure they understand file-sharing options so they don’t mistakenly
share private information with everyone on the Net.

4. Impact on Labor Force

Although computers have improved productivity in many ways and created an entire industry
with hundreds of thousands of new jobs, the skills of millions of employees have been replaced
by computers. Thus, it is crucial that workers keep their education up-to-date. A separate
impact on the labor force is that some companies are outsourcing jobs to foreign countries
instead of keeping their homeland labor force employed.

5. Impact on Environment

Computer manufacturing processes and computer waste are depleting natural resources and
polluting the environment. When computers are discarded in landfills, they can release toxic
materials and potentially dangerous levels of lead, mercury, and flame retardants.

How technology can harm the environment

Many of the technologies we use every day consume a lot more resources and power than they
need to, and using and manufacturing them can create a mess. Here are a few of the ways
that technology can harm the environment:

• Pollution - Air, water, heat and noise pollution can all be caused
by producing and using technology
• Consuming resources - Non-renewable resources, including
precious metals like gold, are used to make technology. Many
others, such as coal, are consumed to generate the electricity to
use technology. Even some renewable resources, like trees and
water, are becoming contaminated or are used up faster than they
can renew themselves because of technology.
• Waste - Manufacturing technology creates large amounts of waste, and used computers
and electronics get thrown out when they break or become outdated. Called
"TECHNOTRASH," these electronics contain all sorts of hazardous materials that are very
unsafe for the environment. They need to be disposed of using special methods.
• Disrupting ecology - Clearing land where animals used to live to build factories and allowing
pollution to contaminate the food chain can greatly affect the environment's natural cycles.
• Health hazards - Using toxic materials that can harm our health can cause cancer, and
technology addiction can lead to other health problems like obesity and carpal tunnel
syndrome.

You can encourage manufacturers by choosing to buy more energy-efficient and less hazardous
electronics and by supporting companies that make protecting the environment a priority. You can
also do your own part to reduce environmental impact by not being wasteful and disposing of your
electronics safely and properly.

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CARBON EMISSION
Carbon emissions, mostly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide,
are greenhouse gasses that are produced by people. Greenhouse gasses
are gasses in the atmosphere that trap and reflect heat and radiation back
to the planet's surface. It is believed that over the last century, the amount
of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere has increased due to carbon
emissions, and that they are contributing to global warming.
Carbon emissions get released into the atmosphere from things like cars, air planes, power plants
and factories. They also get released by people like you, when you use a vehicle or electricity created
from burning fossil fuels. The computer you're using to read this is using electricity, and so is your
mobile device and video game system. We're all guilty of enjoying things that aren't exactly eco-
friendly, but if we're smarter about how we use technology, we can reduce our environmental impact.
TECHNOTRASH
Technotrash, also called electronic waste or e-waste, is any broken or
unwanted electrical or electronic device, and is currently the most rapidly-
growing type of waste.

If you just throw away technotrash with the regular trash, it usually ends
up in a landfill. Most electronics contain non-biodegradable materials, and
heavy metals and toxic materials like cadmium, lead and mercury.

These toxic materials can cause all kinds of bad effects including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and
even cancer. If you keep eating and drinking contaminated food and water, these toxins can build up
in your body. If you eat animals that have been contaminated, you're getting a double dose of toxins.
What's even worse, your body can't properly process some of these metals and so they might take
years to get out of your system.

Here's just a few of the ways that technology is helping to improve the environment:

It helps us develop and produce new materials and technologies that are sustainable and do not harm
the environment, so we can eventually stop using ones that do harm it

• It allows us to monitor and study our environment to better

understand how it works and the impact of our actions on it

• It helps us create smarter technologies that respond to how we use

them and adjust themselves to reduce their environmental impact,
such as lights that can sense when no one is in the room and
automatically turn off

• It allows us to have a worldwide virtual laboratory, so that experts from all fields can share
their research, experience and ideas to come up with better, smarter solutions. Not only does
this allow people far away from each other to work together, but it also reduces the
environmental impact people would normally cause from traveling to meet with each other

• It allows for paperless communication like email and online bill paying to reduce the amount
of trees cut down

• It allows companies to reduce shipping and manufacturing impact and to reach a broader
audience

Sometimes people can get so excited about using a new technology that they overlook the negative
impact on the environment. But, it's very important that we use technology in the smartest and most
responsible manner, so that we are solving problems, not creating more for the future.

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 SELF-CHECK NO. 1
A. IDENTFICATION
Direction: Identity the Precautions and Procedures write TRUE if the statement is correct
and FALSE if the statement is wrong.

__________1. Failure to do the proper jumper setting may cause damage to your CPU.
__________2. After adding and removing any other system components, make sure that you
unplug your power supply.
__________3. Test the computer, insuring that it meets the necessary system requirements
before booting up.
__________4. With an effective cooling fan, the CPU can overheat and cause damage to both
CPU and the motherboard.
__________5. After starting the installation, read carefully the documentation and procedures
on any hardware and software settings that may be required.

B. MATCHING TYPE

Direction: Select your answer on the choices below that will correspond on the statement.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

A. Violation of Privacy
B. Impact on the Environment
C. Public Safety
D. Health Risk
E. Impact on Labor Force

___________ 1. Computer manufacturing processes and computer waste are depleting natural
resources and polluting the environment.
___________ 2. Although computers have improved productivity in many ways and created an
entire industry with hundreds of thousands of new jobs, the skills of millions of workers and
managers have been replaced by computers.
___________ 3. It is crucial that personal and confidential records be protected properly.
___________ 4. Adults, teen, and children around the world are using computers to share
publicly their photos, videos, journals, music, and other personal information.
___________ 5. Prolonged or improper computer use can lead to injuries or disorders of the
hands, wrists. elbows, eyes, necks, and back

C. Give at least 10 potential health risk for computer users.

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