Computer Maintenance and Safety Precautions

Cleaning and Maintenance Procedures

Regularly inspect and clean your PC and peripherals. Plain water or a solution of mild soap and water does a great job of cleaning most PC surfaces. Canned air, non-static vacuums, and soft-bristled brushes  help maintain a clean PC. Electrical contacts get dirty from oily residue from your fingers, so you should exercise care when handling components. Denatured alcohol is the best solution to use for cleaning drive heads and contacts. Keep fans and vents clean and dust free to protect a computer from overheating.

Component Protection and Storage

A UPS protects your system against power sags. A surge suppressor protects your system from power surges. Noise filters help prevent electromagnetic interference. In event of a lightning storm, make sure you completely unplug the PC and any peripherals with external power cords. While storing components for future use, make sure to store them in a cool, dry place in antistatic bags or in their original packaging.

Electrostatic Discharge Precautions and Procedures

To help to protect your system from the effects of ESD, always use an antistatic wrist strap or ankle strap when working on the system, unless you're working around high-voltage devices such as power supplies and CRTs. Antistatic mats, floor mats, and sprays can also protect your work area from ESP.

Safety and Environmental Issues

Wear natural-fiber clothing and rubber-soled shoes when working on computers. Keep your hair pulled back and remove excess jewellery. Keep the computing environment neat, but if accidents happen, file an incident report. The capacitors in power supplies, monitors, and laser printers carry very high voltages that can cause severe bodily injuries. Do not touch them! This is especially true for CRT monitors, which carry deadly levels of electricity even after being unplugged.

Special Disposal Procedures and Environmental Guidelines

Batteries contain nasty chemicals, CRTs contain lead and mercury, and even seeming innocuous toner cartridges contain environmentally unfriendly chemicals. Always be sure to recycle batteries, monitors, and toner cartridges, or have them picked up as hazardous waste.