Physical safety Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology revision
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In plain words
A computer room is full of electricity, cables and heavy equipment. Four dangers are named in the syllabus, and for each one you need to know the cause and how to prevent it.
4 things to know
- Electrocution: caused by spilling drinks near electrical equipment, or touching bare or live cables. Prevent it by keeping drinks away, having equipment checked regularly, and keeping cables in good condition.
- Fire: caused by overloading sockets with too many plugs, or by equipment overheating. Prevent it by not overloading sockets, keeping the room ventilated, switching equipment off when it is not in use, and having a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher.
- Tripping: caused by cables trailing across the floor. Prevent it by using cable ducts, tucking cables behind desks, or using wireless connections.
- Heavy equipment falling: caused by equipment being placed near the edge of a desk or on unsuitable furniture. Prevent it by using strong desks and placing equipment well back from the edge.
Worked example
A school IT room has six computers plugged into one socket through a chain of adaptors, with cables across the walkway. Identify two risks and a way to prevent each.
- The socket is overloaded, so it could overheat and cause a fire. Install more sockets, so that each is not overloaded.
- The cables across the walkway could trip someone. Put them in cable ducts or behind the desks.
Tips and tricks
- Safety is about physical harm from the equipment. Health is about what long use does to your body. RSI is a health problem, not a safety one.
- Give the cause and the prevention as a pair. A prevention that does not match the cause earns nothing.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Physical safety: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Which is a safety risk, not a health risk?
Safety risks cause accidents.
What could cause electrocution in a computer room?
Liquids and electricity are a dangerous mix.
How can the risk of fire from sockets be reduced?
Too many plugs in one socket can cause overheating.
Which type of fire extinguisher is suitable for electrical equipment?
Water conducts electricity.
How can the risk of heavy equipment falling be reduced?
The furniture must be able to take the weight.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
2 questions, 4 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Physical safety
Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology 0417 · 4 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
State two causes of fire in a computer room.[2]
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Overloading electrical sockets. Equipment overheating.
Describe two ways of preventing people tripping over cables.[2]
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Place the cables inside cable ducts. Use wireless connections, so that fewer cables are needed. (Also: tuck cables behind desks.)
Answers: Physical safety
- 1. Overloading electrical sockets. Equipment overheating.
- 2. Place the cables inside cable ducts. Use wireless connections, so that fewer cables are needed. (Also: tuck cables behind desks.)