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Service Hints & Tips

Document ID: GSMH-3FBEW3

IBM PC/IBM IntelliStation - Safety information

Applicable to: World-Wide

Safety Information:
The following section contains the safety information that you need to be familiar with before servicing an IBM computer.

General Safety:
Follow these rules to ensure general safety:
Observe good housekeeping in the area of the machines during and after maintenance.

When lifting any heavy object:
1. Ensure you can stand safely without slipping.
2. Distribute the weight of the object equally between your feet.
3. Use a slow lifting force. Never move suddenly or twist when you attempt to lift.
4. Lift by standing or by pushing up with your leg muscles; this action removes the strain from the muscles in your back.

Do not attempt to lift any objects that weigh more than 16 kg (35 lb) or objects that you think are too heavy for you.

Do not perform any action that causes hazards to the customer, or that makes the equipment unsafe. Before you start the machine, ensure that other service representatives and the customer's personnel are not in a hazardous position.
Place removed covers and other parts in a safe place, away from all personnel, while you are servicing the machine. Keep your tool case away from walk areas so that other people will not trip over it. Do not wear loose clothing that can be trapped in the moving parts of a machine. Ensure that your sleeves are fastened or rolled up above your elbows. If your hair is long, fasten it. Insert the ends of your necktie or scarf inside clothing or fasten it with a nonconductive clip, approximately 8 centimeters (3 inches) from the end.
Do not wear jewelry, chains, metal-frame eyeglasses, or metal fasteners for your clothing.

Remember:
Metal objects are good electrical conductors.
Wear safety glasses when you are: hammering, drilling soldering, cutting wire, attaching springs, using solvents, or working in any other conditions that might be hazardous to your eyes.
After service, reinstall all safety shields, guards, labels, and ground wires. Replace any safety device that is worn or defective. Reinstall all covers correctly before returning the machine to the customer.

Electrical Safety:
Observe the following rules when working on electrical equipment.

Important: Use only approved tools and test equipment. Some hand tools have handles covered with a soft material that does not insulate you when working with live electrical currents. Many customers have, near their equipment, rubber floor mats that contain small conductive fibers to decrease electrostatic discharges. Do not use this type of mat to protect yourself from electrical shock.

Find the room emergency power-off (EPO) switch, disconnecting switch, or electrical outlet. If an electrical accident occurs, you can then operate the switch or unplug the power cord quickly. Do not work alone under hazardous conditions or near equipment that has hazardous voltages.

Disconnect all power before:
- Performing a mechanical inspection
- Working near power supplies
- Removing or installing main units

Before you start to work on the machine, unplug the power cord. If you cannot unplug it, ask the customer to power-off the wall box that supplies power to the machine and to lock the wall box in the off position.
If you need to work on a machine that has exposed electrical circuits, observe the following precautions:
- Ensure that another person, familiar with the power-off controls, is near you.

Remember:
Another person must be there to switch off the power, if necessary.
- Use only one hand when working with powered-on electrical equipment; keep the other hand in your pocket or behind your back.

Remember:
There must be a complete circuit to cause electrical shock. By observing the above rule, you may prevent a current from passing through your body.
- When using testers, set the controls correctly and use the approved probe leads and accessories for that tester.
- Stand on suitable rubber mats (obtained locally, if necessary) to insulate you from grounds such as metal floor strips and machine frames.

Observe the special safety precautions when you work with very high voltages; these instructions are in the safety sections of maintenance information. Use extreme care when measuring high voltages.

Regularly inspect and maintain your electrical hand tools for safe operational condition. Do not use worn or broken tools and testers. Never assume that power has been disconnected from a circuit. First, check that it has been powered-off. Always look carefully for possible hazards in your work area. Examples of these hazards are moist floors, nongrounded power extension cables, power surges, and missing safety grounds. Do not touch live electrical circuits with the reflective surface of a plastic dental mirror. The surface is conductive; such touching can cause personal injury and machine damage.

Do not service the following parts with the power on when they are removed from their normal operating places in a machine:
- Power supply units
- Pumps
- Blowers and fans
- Motor generators

and similar units. (This practice ensures correct grounding of the units.)

If an electrical accident occurs:
- Use caution; do not become a victim yourself.
- Switch off power.
- Send another person to get medical aid.

Safety Inspection Guide:
The intent of this inspection guide is to assist you in identifying potentially unsafe conditions on these products. Each machine, as it was designed and built, had required safety items installed to protect users and service personnel from injury. This guide addresses only those items. However, good judgment should be used to identify potential safety hazards due to attachment of non-IBM features or options not covered by this inspection guide.
If any unsafe conditions are present, you must determine how serious the apparent hazard could be and whether you can continue without first correcting the problem.

Consider these conditions and the safety hazards they present:
Electrical hazards, especially primary power (primary voltage on the frame can cause serious or fatal electrical shock).
Explosive hazards, such as a damaged CRT face or bulging capacitor
Mechanical hazards, such as loose or missing hardware

The guide consists of a series of steps presented in a checklist. Begin the checks with the power off, and the power cord disconnected.

Checklist:
1. Check exterior covers for damage (loose, broken, or sharp edges).
2. Power-off the computer. Disconnect the power cord.
3. Check the power cord for:

a. A third-wire ground connector in good condition. Use a meter to measure third-wire ground continuity for 0.1 ohm or less between the external ground pin and frame ground.
b. The power cord should be the appropriate type as specified in the parts listings.
c. Insulation must not be frayed or worn.

4. Remove the cover.
5. Check for any obvious non-IBM alterations. Use good judgment as to the safety of any non-IBM alterations.
6. Check inside the unit for any obvious unsafe conditions, such as metal filings, contamination, water or other liquids, or signs of fire or smoke damage.
7. Check for worn, frayed, or pinched cables.
8. Check that the power-supply cover fasteners (screws or rivets) have not been removed or tampered with.

Handling Electrostatic Discharge-Sensitive Devices:
Any computer part containing transistors or integrated circuits (ICs) should be considered sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD damage can occur when there is a difference in charge between objects. Protect against ESD damage by equalizing the charge so that the machine, the part, the work mat, and the person handling the part are all at the same charge.

Notes: 1. Use product-specific ESD procedures when they exceed the requirements noted here. 2. Make sure that the ESD protective devices you use have been certified (ISO 9000) as fully effective.

When handling ESD-sensitive parts:
Keep the parts in protective packages until they are inserted into the product.
Avoid contact with other people.
Wear a grounded wrist strap against your skin to eliminate static on your body.

Prevent the part from touching your clothing. Most clothing is insulative and retains a charge even when you are wearing a wrist strap. Use the black side of a grounded work mat to provide a static-free work surface. The mat is especially useful when handling ESD-sensitive devices. Select a grounding system, such as those listed below, to provide protection that meets the specific service requirement.

Note: The use of a grounding system is desirable but not required to protect against ESD damage.

- Attach the ESD ground clip to any frame ground, ground braid, or green-wire ground.
- Use an ESD common ground or reference point when working on a double-insulated or battery-operated system. You can use coax or connector-outside shells on these systems.
- Use the round ground-prong of the AC plug on AC-operated computers.

Grounding Requirements:
Electrical grounding of the computer is required for operator safety and correct system function. Proper grounding of the electrical outlet can be verified by a certified electrician.

	Search Keywords
	Hint Category	Hardware Maintenance Information
	Date Created	19-03-97
	Last Updated	17-07-98
	Revision Date	16-07-99
	Brand	IBM PC, IBM IntelliStation
	Product Family	PC 300GL, PC 300XL, PC 300PL, PC 330, PC 340, PC 350, PC 360, PC 365, PC 730, PC 750, M Pro, Z Pro, E Pro
	Machine Type	6272, 6275, 6282, 6285, 6284, 6561, 6591, 6588, 6562, 6592, 6862, 6892, 6571, 6573, 6575, 6576, 6577, 6560, 6581, 6583, 6585, 6586, 6587, 6598, 6589, 6875, 6876, 6877, 6885, 6886, 6887, 6888, 6889, 6898, 6899, 6893
	Model	Various
	TypeModel
	Retain Tip (if applicable)
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