Lab Safety
General Rules
- Never work alone in an electrical engineering laboratory. The only exceptions are:
- Normal (i.e. cover closed) use of computers
- Wiring circuits not connected to any power or other instrument
- Uses such as studying involving no power or instrumentation
- Do not bring drinks or other liquids to lab benches
- Wear appropriate shoes
- Be aware of the location of the emergency power shut off in the room
- You are expected to take responsibility for assisting others in case of an accident
- Keep unqualified visitors away from the equipment.
- Do not use equipment you are not qualified to use, unless you are under supervision by a qualified person
- Students who have completed ELEE 2120 / CMPE 2120 are assumed to be qualified to use general purpose oscilloscopes, function generators, multimeters, and low voltage power supplies.
- Students who have not completed, or are taking, ELEE 2120 / CMPE 2120 are assumed to be NOT qualified to work unsupervised, unless they have explicit permission from an instructor or lab technician.
- Juniors and Seniors should seek permission from the lab technician or faculty before attempting to use specialized instrumentation with which they are not familiar.
- Special rules apply to hazardous chemicals (see below). Note that use of hazardous chemicals is NOT permitted in regular lab rooms.
- Special rules apply to use of high voltage (>40V) or current (>3A).See below
- Special rules apply to use of electric machinery (see below).
- Special rules apply to use of machine tools (see below).
- Special rules apply to use of lasers and microwave equipment (see below).
Hazardous Chemicals
- Work only in designated areas. Currently the only designated area is the hood area located in Room 2.280. PCB etching is NOT permitted in the senior design labs, or any of the other labs that are not specifically authorized.
- Before starting, make sure that you know what chemicals you are using. If you are unfamiliar with their safety hazards, read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).
- Wear proper protective gear, including gloves and goggles.
- Make sure the area is properly ventilated
- Do not work alone
- Be aware of the nearest eyewash station and shower
High Voltage/Current
- High voltage is defined here as greater than 40 Volts
- High current is defined here as greater than 3A
- The limits do not apply to plugging in regular commercial equipment using a regular line cord.
- The limits DO apply to situations where you are building circuits using the AC power line.
- The limits DO apply to setting up or using electric machines with open wiring.
- The limits DO apply to probing the wall sockets or line cords
- If you aren't sure whether more than 40V or 3A will be exceeded, assume these rules apply.
- Use only one hand when probing an HV/HI circuit. Keep the other hand in your pocket or completely away from the circuit.
- Do not bring your eyes close to contacts or high current conductors
- Do not work alone.
Electric Machinery
- Do not wear loose sleeves, dangling jewelry, or other clothing that could get caught.
- Tie back long hair.
- Be careful not to bump, shove, or jostle other persons working in the lab.
- In general, you should not work unsupervised unless you have specific permission from a lab tech, TA, or faculty.
- Do not work alone.
Machine Tools (Drills, Lathes, saws, etc)
- Students may use hand tools, the drill press, and saws without prior authorization.
- To use lathes, milling machines, or the CNC router, students must have prior training and authorization. Contact the EE lab technician for permission to use these tools.
- Do not wear loose sleeves, dangling jewelry, or other clothing that could get caught.
- Tie back long hair.
- You must wear protective eyewear (goggles or safety glasses) when using any power tool.
- Do not bump, shove, jostle or startle persons working with machine tools.
- Do not work alone.
LASERS AND MICROWAVES
- When working with lasers, you must wear protective goggles.
- Do not activate a laser unless you are sure all other personnel in the area have eye protection
- When working with microwaves, do not bring live cables or waveguide ends near your eyes.
IN CASE OF SHOCK
- GET THE POWER TURNED OFF. This is always your first priority. If this is not possible, try to kick or shove the victim away from the electricity, avoiding uninsulated contact with the victim.
- CALL FOR HELP, but only after you have the power off or disconnected.
- ATTEMPT RESUSCITATION if necessary.
NONCOMPLIANCE
Failure to follow safety rules could result in one or more of the following:
- Verbal or written warning
- Temporary or permanent loss of building pass and/or electronic key
- Referral to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action
- Being banned from the lab, with consequent inability to pass the course
- Injury or Death