Equipment faulty/defective

When a defective product is discovered or suspected the possibility that the fault may extend to other batches or to other products (e.g. through the use of a faulty or incorrect material in several batches of product, or through a fault in a widely used piece of equipment) should be considered and appropriate action taken. 

Unguarded or faulty machinery, and tools are other sources of accidents. Again within the health and safety law you must not use such equipment and furthermore it is your duty to report defective equipment immediately. 

Any faulty or defective equipment shall be reported to the supervisor. 

Servicing computer-based professional equipment typically involves isolating the problem to the board level and then replacing the defective PWB. Taken on a case-by-case basis, this approach seems efficient The inefficiency in the approach, however (which is readily apparent), is the investment required to keep a stock of spare boards on hand. Furthermore, because of the complex interrelation of circuits today, a PWB that appeared to be faulty may actually turn out to be perfect. The ideal solution is to troubleshoot down to the component level and replace the faulty device instead of swapping boards. In many cases, this approach requires sophisticated and expensive test equipment. In other cases, however, simple test instruments will do the job. 

Paschkis first became embroiled in conflicts of moral and occupational duty as an employee at AEG. Tasked with testing transformers as they came off the line, he identified a pattern of faulty equipment. After a few days marking defective gear, his boss demanded that he falsify the results or be fired. Untold engineers have left similar meetings in a silence that can define a career. Paschkis was righteous and lucky. He successfully pleaded his case to an executive manager who was a distant in-law, and was rewarded for his honesty with a transfer and a promotion. Nonetheless, the lack of formal recourse impressed upon Paschkis the need for collective representation, and he retold his story innumerable times to draw attention to the practical problems of conscience. 

Almost 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable electrical equipment (known as portable appliances). While most of these accidents were caused by electric shock, over 2000 fires each year are started by faulty cables used by portable appliances, caused by a lack of effective maintenance. Portable electrical tools often present a high risk of injury, which is frequently caused by the conditions under which they are used. These conditions include the use of defective or unsuitable equipment and, indeed, the misuse of equipment. There must be a system to record the inspection, maintenance and repair of these tools. 

Where plugs and sockets are used for portable tools, sufficient sockets must be provided for all the equipment and adaptors should not be used. Many accidents are caused by faulty flexible cables, extension leads, plugs and sockets, particularly when these items become damp or worn. Accidents often occur when contact is made with some part of the tool which has become live (probably at mains voltage), while the user is standing on, or in contact with, an earthed conducting surface. If the electrical supply is at more than 50 volts ac, then the electric shock that a person may receive from such defective equipment is potentially lethal. In adverse environmental conditions, such as humid or damp atmospheres, even lower voltages can be dangerous. Portable electrical equipment should not be used in flammable atmospheres if it can be avoided and it must also comply with any standard relevant to the particular environment. Air operated equipment should also be used as an alternative whenever it is practical. 

The yield drops that result from an out-of-control process impose significant cost penalties. High production volumes can potentially generate large quantities of defective printed circuit boards before a defect trend is discovered. Therefore, it is critical, first of all, to establish process control and maintain it throughout production and, second, be able to identily prodnct defects, determine the responsible process parameter, and quickly correct the faulty equipment, material, or operation. 

When the arc welder or cutter has occasion to leave his work or to stop work for any appreciable length of time, or when the arc welding or cutting machine is to be moved, the power supply switch to the equipment shall be opened. Any faulty or defective equipment shall be reported to the supervisor. 

Fires can also be caused by poorly maintained or defective equipment, including faulty valves, poor hoses and badly made connections. 

---