User:THE BORED RAINBOW/sandbox

=ICT Health & Safety Issue= Health and Safety in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is mostly about understanding how to work safely with computers and environments with lots of technology equipment. This can be relevant to industry and also schools. Common hazards are poor postures, incorrect chairs, glare or poor lighting, trip hazards and installation hazards. A DSE ( Display Screen Equipment ) assessment can help here. Further hazards can include cyber bullying and identity theft, which can lead to stress and ill health in some cases. As with most other health and safety, risk assessment is always the starting point.

=Health and Safety= There are a number of safety hazards linked with using computers and ICT devices. This section looks into some of these potential hazards and what you can do to prevent them. We will also look at some of the medical conditions and health problems that prolonged use of ICT devices can cause and what you can do to avoid them. There are a number of health problems that you can suffer if you use ICT devices incorrectly or for too long.

The main ones are:
 * Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
 * Back and Neck Strain
 * Eye Strain and Headaches

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
RSI causes painful swelling of the wrist and fingers. Sufferers with really bad RSI are unable to use their hands at all. RSI is caused by doing the same small movements over and over again across a long period of time. For example, clicking a mouse button repeatedly. Computer users who type and use a mouse all day long are commonly affected.

Back and Neck Problems
Back ache and neck ache can cause great pain and really affect the quality of your life. Both back and neck ache can be caused by sitting incorrectly and using poor quality chairs without back rests. This is called poor posture.

Eye Strain and Headaches
Staring at a computer screen for too long can strain your eyes and cause headaches. Eye strain can cause your vision to blur. Common causes of eye strain are screen flicker and having direct light causing screen glare.

=Safety Issues= There are a number of safety issues that can arise from using ICT devices. Some of these safety issues include:
 * Electrocution
 * Tripping over wires
 * Heavy equipment falling on you
 * Fire risks

Electrocution
Most ICT devices require an electrical power source. Whenever you have electrical power sources you run the risk of the electrocution.

Tripping over wires and cables
ICT devices with wires can make a room a potential hazard. Trailing wires are easy to trip over if they are not secured or tucked away.

Heavy equipment falling on you
Some ICT devices (like computer screens) are fairly heavy and can cause injury if they fall on you. Equipment should be positioned securely on strong desks and tables well away from the edge.

Fires
ICT devices require power from a mains outlet. If too many devices are plugged into a single mains at the same time, it is possible to overload the circuit and start an electrical fire. You need to ensure that your room has many plug sockets so you don't have to overload any single one.

= References =