The black dust on the technician's hands
A technician opens a laser printer to clear a jam. A cloud of fine black powder puffs out. It is toner.
Toner dust is not good to breathe in. A second technician pours old printer parts and a dead UPS battery into a skip.
Both jobs are covered by law. Let us see how.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Hazardous substance | something that can harm health, such as dust, fumes or acid |
| COSHH | Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, rules about using harmful substances |
| Safety data sheet | a page from the maker that says how to use a substance safely |
| COMAH | Control of Major Accident Hazards, rules for sites that hold large amounts of dangerous substances |
| Earthing | a safe path that carries stray electric charge or a fault away to the ground |
| WEEE | waste electrical and electronic equipment, such as old PCs and screens |
| Recycling | turning waste into something that can be used again |
| Licensed | allowed by the authorities to do a job, such as take waste away |
| Network | computers and devices joined together so they can share data |
| Personal data | facts that name or point to a real person |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can say what COSHH, COMAH and the WEEE rules cover and how each applies to infrastructure work.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
COSHH: harmful substances
The COSHH Regulations 2002 are about substances that can harm health. The employer must find them, judge the risk, and put controls in place.
The employer must also give training and a safety data sheet for each substance.
You must follow the instructions. If a mask or gloves are needed, wear them.
Hazardous substances in infrastructure work
| Substance | Where you meet it | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Toner dust | Printer maintenance | Switch off, wipe with a damp cloth, wear gloves, avoid blowing it |
| Cleaning liquids | Cleaning screens and boards | Use the right one, in a well aired room |
| Battery acid and metals | UPS and laptop batteries | Gloves, do not break open, store safely |
| Solder fumes | Repairing a board | Extraction fan, work in a ventilated place |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check COSHH
Have a go
Check COSHH
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.