HOUSEKEEPING

HOUSEKEEPING

House keeping can be referred to as operations such as maintenance or record-keeping which facilitate productive work in an organization. When implementing house keeping there are a few requirements that has to be met. Such require are :

the ability to encourage and motivate staff.

planning and organisational skills.

the ability to cope with problems and emergencies, and make effective decisions.

numerical ability.

use proper tools to carry out housekeeping

Importance of housekeeping 

Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly. Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire prevention. The importance of housekeeping can be categorized as preventing harm to others, yourself and components. THis will also make a good impression with customers or guest.  

Cleaning work area

When cleaning a work area there are some things that should be taken into consideration. When cleaning work area or tools it is important that safety is observed, always read all instructions before starting to implement cleaning the area. When having a clean work area it will be a lot more organized, space is a big issue because a lack of space will affect the quality of work that the technician is expected to deliver. There are some specific tools that are required for house keeping these are: 

Dustpan - They are used to collect dust and garbage from the floor and putting it into the dustbin. 

Dusting Cloths - They are soft cloths used for wiping dust off surface. 

Mops - Swiffer's and other waterless mopping systems may work great for light clean-ups, but for thorough floor cleaning you need a good mop

broom - a broom must be part of your tools. The ones with soft flexible bristles will pick up more dust and get into those hard to reach places.

buckets – When using mops and rags, sturdy buckets are an essential part of your housekeeper’s toolkit. You’ll need a couple different sizes for big jobs like mopping floors and smaller ones for other cleaning tasks.

Rags -Nothing beats good old cleaning rags for those tough, dirty projects. Old towels, T-shirts and socks all make good cleaning rags. They can be washed and reused many times before wearing out.

Brushes − They are handheld flat brushes with bristles to dust the plain surfaces as well as the corners. They come with non-slip handles and stiff scratch-free bristles. They help removing stubborn dust.

Janitor’s trolley − It is a trolley that stores cleaning supplies such as detergents, spray bottles, dustbin, mop, and dusting cloths, all in a compact manner

Steps for when cleaning a work area are: 

Rough Cleaning

• First remove all debris either by hand or use of brushes, brooms, scrapers, squeegees, etc.
• Collect and dispose of all debris appropriately (e.g. inedible containers).
• A warm rinse is recommended to complete the rough cleaning.

Chemical Cleaning and Sanitation

• After rough cleaning, apply an appropriate application of cleaning agents to surfaces and equipment. Concentrations to use are in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Scrub all surfaces manually or mechanically.
• Make sure equipment used for cleaning and sanitizing is kept in clean and sanitary condition (e.g. hand held hoses) to prevent cross contamination.
• Apply cleaning agents to production areas, including walls and floors.

Rinsing

• After chemical cleaning and scrubbing, rinse all areas and equipment with hot potable water.
• After rinsing, check surfaces to ensure that all grease and debris has been removed. This should be done by physical touch.
• Repeat above steps if necessary.

Sanitizing

• After rinsing, apply an approved sanitizer.
• Sanitizers are only effective on surfaces that have been thoroughly cleaned.
• Use sanitizing agents as per manufacturer’s recommendations. This is especially important since some sanitizers require a final rinse and some do not.

Removal of Excess Water

• Any areas where water has extensively pooled may serve as a medium for bacteria growth and should be dried.
• Equipment that has the potential to rust should also be dried.

computer parts disposal, electronic recycling or e-waste recycling is the disassembly and separation of components and raw materials of waste electronics This would typically include printed circuit boards (PCBs) such as motherboards, power supplies, graphics cards, memory RAM sticks and hard drives. Although the procedures of re-use, donation and repairs are not strictly recycling, there are other common sustainable ways to dispose of IT waste.

Most Effective Hazard Controls. The best way to protect workers is to remove or eliminate the hazard from the workplace using the following hazard control methods: Substitution. Substitute dangerous chemicals, equipment or work methods with safer and less hazardous ones to eliminate the hazard altogether.

When housekeeping was not implemented in a establishment there is a high risk of accidents that will occur.If for any reason there was an accident the method would be to, make sure you record any injury in the 'accident book' if need be, make sure your employer has reported it to the HSENI. check your contract or written statement of employment for information about sick or accident pay.

Reference: (March 2, 2015),Housekeeping definition,( December 12,2017) 2017),

.     https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/housekeeper

  Steps for cleaning work area( December 12,2017)  https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/housekeeper

accident report( December 12,2017)  

    https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/accidents-workplace

 



TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS

ESSENTIAL TOOLS USED IN COMPUTER REPAIRS / I.T

In the the field of computer repairs a technician uses a variety to tools to complete a given job. Common tools that are used are:

•  Screw driver both large and small
• wire cutter
• hex wrench set
• needle nose pliers
• crimping tools
• chip extractor
• multimeter
• tweezers
• stencil knife

It is imperative that the correct method is implemented when using tools.Using tools correctly will decrease the risk of accidents and damage to others and equipment.Power tools are powered electrically, by air(Pneumatic Tools),Liquid Fuel Tools Powder-Actuated Tools.
Tools that are powered electrically require power from electricity, they are electric powered tools.Pneumatic Tools however are powered by air. The liquid fuel tool is a tool that is powered by gasoline this tool is not used in computer repairs. Powder-actuated tools operate like a loaded gun and must be treated with extreme caution.

HAND AND POWER TOOLS

Hand tools can be defined as any tool that is power by hand.The major types of hand tools used in computer repairs are: screwdriver, pliers, crimping tool, paint brush, pry tool and suction tool.

Power tools are any type of tool that needs additional power source for it to be functional. Common power tools used in this associated in computer repairs are:drill, soldering iron/ gun, multimeter,, reflow gun, air compressor, mig welder, hot glue. 

when selecting tools, it is best to select the tool that is best fitted for the job, the tool that will cause little or no damage to the component and the user.When cleaning hand tools one method is using a damped rag with a little soap and water or if its a wooden handle linseed oil is recommended.For metal, use a light coat of WD-40 and wipe with a clean rag

Cleaning Hand tools

When cleaning hand tools there will be materials that will be needed to carry out maintenance on these tools such materials are: soft rag, wire brush, large bucket containing water, heavy duty rubber gloves,wool and old towels.

How to clean:

• Fill a large bucket with a measured amount of hot water (usually about a gallon or two, depending on the number of tools you are washing) and add the amount of commercial cleaner indicated on the product instructions for the amount of water.
• Place the tools that needs cleaning in the water with the solution for 30 minutes
• Use the wire brush the remove all dirt and excess grease while wearing the rubber gloves.
• Remove the tools from the cleaning solution and dry individually, if tools has rust then the wool can be used or WD40 

Cleaning power tools

How to clean solder iron:

Materials that are needed:Sponge, 600 grit sand paper, tip tinner / cleaner, wool
The purpose of the sponge is to remove any globs of solder that may be clinging to the tip however in order to do this the sponge has to be damped not soaked with water to be exact. The sand paper however is used when the tool is cold.The sand paper is used to shape the tip by gently stroking in one direction. The tip tinner is used when cleaning is complete, if you have extra solder then it can be substituted for the tip tinner. The wool is used as a cleaning agent also, it is been used during soldering. To clean using the wool its just to insert the tip in the wool multiple times to remove excess solder.
When maintaining tools it is important to keep batteries in proper shape, lubricate all moving parts,always ensure to store both hand and power tools correctly.When conducting maintenance always remember inspect for wear and damage,keep tools clean at all times,the build up of dust and grim left unchecked over a period of time will damage the tool.

Activity rates pertaining to computer repairs.

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ACTIVITY RATE

 Activity rate is a document that shows the services or items that a company or individual offers for business purposes.This document reveals the cost of materials, labor cost and diagnostic cost. 

Computer repairs technicians deal with a wide range of internal and external issues .Most common jobs for a computer tech would include, replacing cracked screens, upgrading components,data recovery,hardware and software issues suspected malware or virus detection etc. Therefore the cost would vary depending on the state the computer is in. The cost pertaining to the travel expense would be higher than the normal when considering the mileage of picking up and delivering the computer to the client. 
Computer technicians or companies either charge by project or hourly rate therefore before any job an estimate of the cost should be determined by the engineer. 
An example of an estimate sheet follows: 

COMPUTER SHACK MAIN STREET SPALDING SPALDING P.O CLARENDON EMAIL:COMPUTERSHACK@GMAIL.COM TEL: (876)265-6769

ITEM	RATE	QTY		PRICE
PC- removal of virus	$7000	1		$7000
Replace power button	$2000	1		$2000
diagnostic	$2000	1		$2000
Total                                                                $11,000

Importance of an activity rate:

•  Activity rate facilitates the comparative study of various elements of current cost with previous results and estimated costs.
• It shows the total cost per unit of the item.
•  It concertize a fix selling price for all items
•  It operates as a guide for entrepreneurs to lower the cost of production.  

How to make estimates

In computer repairs accurate estimates are very important when planning projects.When making estimates the figure or the time allotted to the client should be as accurate as possible to the original amount.When calculating estimates all the figures  in the table should be calculated by adding them to arrive at a total cost for the customer.

How to measure estimates?

When making an estimate it is imperative to try and make an estimate close to the actual figure as possible.For example making an estimate on how much tacks you will need to perform a networking job in a room.First you would have to know the size of the room and the amount of wire your going to use to complete the job, and with that information you would make an estimate on the tacks.
When making an estimate about time first you should understand what is important and start listing all that needs to be done within that project.Order these activities in the order that they need to be completed.
The best way to estimate numbers is to round off whole numbers by going up especially when making an estimate on a price for a customer, the reality is when an estimate has been made that is slightly over the original price the customer will receive all that is intended and if there is leftovers in cash then it should be given back to the customer.
Quality assurance are based on standards that check whether the services that are being offered meet specific requirements.

Brownout and blackout whats the main idea?

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROWNOUTS AND BLACKOUTS??

What is a Brownout?

     A brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency.  The reduction lasts for minutes or hours, as opposed to short-term voltage sag (or dip). The term brownout comes from the dimming experienced by lighting when the voltage sags. A voltage reduction may be an effect of disruption of an electrical grid, or may occasionally be imposed in an effort to reduce load and prevent a power outageknown as a blackout.  Different types of electrical apparatus will react in different ways to a sag. Some devices will be severely affected, while others may not be affected at all.
In most cases, brownouts are deliberately produced by energy providers as an emergency measure to prevent the system from failing completely (blacking out). Typically a utility will decrease system voltage by 10-25%, usually for a short period of time. This reduction typically has minimal effect on heat and lighting systems, most of which can function reliably for short periods on suboptimal voltage, but sensitive electronic equipment requiring reasonably precise voltages may not be able to function and long-term brownouts can cause premature wear in non-electronic devices. Computer disk drives often suffer write failures when supplied with suboptimal voltage, and electric motors tend to run hotter when required to produce the same horsepower during a brownout.   

What is a Blackout?

     A blackout is a complete interruption of power in a given service area. Rolling blackouts are controlled and usually preplanned interruptions of service. A brownout is a partial, temporary reduction in system voltage or total system capacity.   Blackouts come without warning, last for indeterminate periods, and are typically caused by catastrophic equipment failure or severe weather. The nature and cause of the blackout determines who is affected.   Rolling blackouts typically occur with at least some advance warning, normally last for a fixed length of time, and are deliberately produced by utility companies. They can be used as a means of coping with peak power demands that cannot be met from existing supply. Rolling blackouts are usually intended to affect only a specific service area, and the energy provider will typically spread these blackouts among several service areas to insure that no specific area suffers substantially more than any other. Planned outages and rolling blackouts differ slightly in that planned outages are usually announced well in advance and are most commonly needed to allow for routine maintenance, while rolling blackouts can occur with relatively little warning and are intended to take stress off of the system’s energy load.

      Brownouts can cause unexpected behavior  in systems with digital control circuits. Reduced voltages can bring control signals below the threshold at which logic circuits can reliably detect which state is being represented. As the voltage returns to normal levels the logic can latch at an incorrect state; even can’t happen states become possible. The seriousness of this effect and whether steps need to be taken by the designer to prevent it depends on the nature of the equipment being controlled; for instance, a brownout may cause a motor to begin running backwards.    The under voltage condition that accompanies brownouts and power outages has expensive repercussions, like increased motor failures and lost production. However, quick response techniques and computer-controlled equipment can reduce or even eliminate the effects of such low-voltage events.

Basic safeguards include monitoring the supply voltage and training personnel to respond quickly if it drops to a predetermined level. For critical applications, install thermal protectors or condition-monitoring devices that can detect abnormally high winding temperatures and shut down the motor. If shutting down isn’t an option, reduce the load by throttling back a fan or partially closing a valve during a brownout.   If you don’t take proactive steps, you could be setting yourself up for serious problems. Turning a motor on and off that quickly can damage the winding. The effect is a bit like starting a motor at 1½ times rated voltage, so relying on a holding coil to interrupt the motor isn’t the best option.    In the old days, an operator made a best-guess reaction to what he thought was happening. Right or wrong, once someone turns off the lights you’re stuck with the consequences of cleaning up the process line and restarting your systems.


Reference:Bob Braun June 11, 2015 What is the difference between brownout and blackout http://gotpower.com/brownouts-and-blackouts/

Keeping Charge

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CAPACITANCE 

Capacitance is the ability of a body to store electric charge, a material with a large capacitance holds more electric charge at a given voltage compared to another with low capacitance

     Capacitors are energy-storing devices available in multiple sizes and shapes. They consist of two plates of conducting material (usually a thin metal) sandwiched between an insulator made of ceramic, film, glass or other materials, even air.

      The insulator is also known as a dielectric, and it boosts a capacitor’s charging capacity. Capacitors are sometimes called condensers in the automotive, marine and aviation industries.
The internal plates are wired to two external terminals, which sometimes are long and thin and can resemble tiny metallic antennae or legs,these terminals can be plugged into a circuit.
Capacitors and batteries both store energy. While batteries release energy gradually, capacitors discharge it quickly.
      A capacitor collects energy (voltage) as current flows through an electrical circuit. Both plates hold equal charges, and as the positive plate collects a charge, an equal charge flows off the negative plate.When the circuit is switched off, a capacitor retains the energy it has gathered, though slight leakage normally happens.

    Capacitance is expressed as the ratio of the electric charge on each conductor to the potential difference between them (i.e., voltage)
A farad is a large quantity of capacitance. Most household electrical devices include capacitors that produce only a fraction of a farad, often a thousandth of a farad (or micro farad, µF) or as small as a picofarad (a trillionth, pF).
Super-capacitors meanwhile can store very large electrical charges of thousands of farads.
Capacitance can be increased when:

1. A capacitor’s plates (conductors) are positioned closer together.
2. Larger plates offer more surface area.
3. The dielectric is the best possible insulator for the application.

   In electrical circuits, capacitors are frequently used to block direct current (dc) while permitting alternating current (ac) to flow.Some digital multi-meters offer a capacitance measurement function so technicians can:

• Identify an unknown or unlabeled capacitor.
• Detect open or shorted capacitors.
• Measure capacitors directly and display their value.

Reference: Digital Multimeter Principles by Glen A. Mazur, American Technical Publishers. 

http://en-us.fluke.com/training/training-library/measurements/electricity/what-is-capacitance.html

General test requirements

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GENERAL TEST REQUIREMENTS

Informative: The tests specified  are intended to show that the equipment meets the general user’s requirements for electronic equipment.

Table 2 shows the basic testing classifications for equipment supplied to the user. These tests shall be applied to electronic equipment in the manner defined in this document.

Test	Comments
Type	To be carried out on a sample standard production equipment. These may include factory acceptance tests, integration tests, and system tests. These tests are normally carried out by the supplier, but may be witnessed in whole or part by the user.
Routine & Sampling	Intended for each item of production equipment, these may include factory acceptance tests, integration tests, and system tests. Some of these tests may be witnessed by the user.
Site Pre-commissioning	These tests take place after the equipment has been fully installed.
Energisation	These tests are only applicable to turnkey projects.

Table 2 Test Classifications

General

Informative: If national or international specifications or standards apply to equipment, these may contain different or additional tests. These tests will be taken into account in deciding the testing required for a particular contract.

Type Testing

Informative: Type tests are intended to show that electronic equipment meets the requirement of its specification.

               If during the tests a failure occurs, adjustments are made, the test configuration is changed, alternative instrumentation is used instead of that agreed, the design of the Equipment Under Test (EUT) is changed, or any other change is made which could affect the test results in any way; the fact shall be noted in the test report.

Informative: Depending on the significance of the event or change, the user may require the repetition of any or all of the tests.

Reference Conditions

               Unless otherwise specified in the appropriate source standard all type tests shall be carried out under the reference conditions quoted in table 3 

                Table 3 Test Reference Conditions.

Variable	Limits
Ambient temperature	20°C ±2°C
Ambient relative humidity	≤70%
Supply voltage	Normal † ±1%
Supply frequency (for A.C. equipment)	50 Hz ±0.5% (no significant voltage waveform distortion)

Table 3 Test Reference Conditions

                                                                                                                                               

Measurement of Equipment Characteristics

               Details of the equipment characteristics to be measured during the course of the test shall be given.

Description of the Tests Required

Informative: The following clauses give general details of the tests discussed in Clauses for Type Testing.

Informative: Particulars of the performance requirements and pass/fail criteria will be included in the individual equipment specification.

Non Maloperation Tests

               For Non Maloperation tests the Equipment Under Test (EUT) is required to be performed to its specification in all respects while being subjected to the test conditions.

Informative: For some equipment which is not concerned with Control, Protection and other continuous service facilities, it may not be necessary that error free operation continues during primary plant operations.

Protection Equipment

Informative: The BS EN 60255 series of Standards are the product specific standards for protection equipment. As such they often contain reference conditions and acceptance criteria specifically designed for protection. Generally the tests and test levels specified in Table 4 are compatible with the IEC 60255 tests. For each test in this specification the appropriate BS EN 60255 standard, where it exists, will be indicated.

               In the case of protection equipment or any hardware platform that is specified for use for a protection application, the method of application and acceptance criteria for the tests as defined in the appropriate BS EN 60255 standard is definitive and shall take precedence.

               In the case of protection equipment or any hardware platform that is specified for use for a protection application, the test levels required are stated in Table 4 and Table 5.

Substation Control Equipment

Informative: Substation Control Equipment comes within the scope of the BS EN 60870 series of standards. Specifically BS EN 60870-2-1 covers the power supply and electromagnetic compatibility requirements and BS EN 60870-2-2 defines the environmental requirements. They have been adopted by CENELEC as product family standards for this equipment. Table 4 relates the test levels called up by TS 3.24.15 (RES) with those required by BS EN 60870.

Performance Tests 

               Performance tests shall demonstrate that the equipment functions correctly in all performance aspects of its functional specification as defined in the appropriate functional TS(s).

                With digital equipment, complete cycles of operation must be monitored, each cycle exercising each input and output and checking the correct operation of all performance characteristics.

               The number of performance characteristics checked with digital equipment needs to be assessed carefully to ensure that no aspect of the performance is overlooked; this requirement includes its operation under fault conditions such as operator error, faulty inputs, etc.

                Where relevant, the effect of supply interruptions and the start-up/shut-down performance should be checked at various points in the performance cycle of the equipment.

                ELECTRICAL ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS

Informative: The tests to be applied are summarised in Table 4 and Table 5, Substation Equipment and Table 6, Control Centre Equipment. They are required to establish that the equipment will perform in accordance with its specification in its working environment. The tables specify the levels of the tests to be applied to specific ports of the equipment. The port connections are more fully defined in Table 7. Not all the tests will be appropriate to every item of equipment.

               The tests in Table 4 are mandatory while those in Table 5 need only be called up if it is a specific requirement of the contract. However, it should be noted that certain of these tests are required in order to comply with BS EN 60870-2-1 (see Section on Substation Control Equipment). The test descriptions specify whether the equipment is required to function correctly during the test (non-maloperate) or whether the equipment is required to resist the specified test conditions without damage (withstand).

               Unless otherwise stated in the appropriate TS for the EUT, equipment, when subjected to the non-maloperate tests, shall perform to specification during and after application of the tests. See also Section on Non-maloperation Tests.

                Except where otherwise stated, the method of application for each test shall be as specified in the appropriate source standard as quoted in Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6.

               The interference tests are designed to demonstrate that equipment is likely to be compatible with its environment. If specific measures on site are required to achieve the desired degree of immunity, full details of these measures shall be submitted to the user for assessment.