|
Home
Purchasing
Safety
Safety Manual
Undergraduate Safety Information
Forms
Common Risk Assessment Forms
Appendix
Security
Links
|
RISK
ASSESSMENT: USE OF HIGH POWER MICROWAVE AND RADIO-FREQUENCY POWER SUPPLIES
Activity being assessed:
Use of high power Microwave (MW) and Radio Frequency (RF) power supplies,
for plasma generation, heating, etc.
Hazards
- Biological heating and cooking(!) effects of MW and RF radiation,
especially to eyes (e.g. cataract formation), and other soft tissues.
- Electric shock and burns (these may be different from, and far more
serious, than the types of burns caused by conventional electrical supplies).
- High temperatures associated with high power equipment.
Precautions
Ensure equipment is properly:
- screened and shielded. Use an emission monitor to check that emitted
MW power is <5mW cm2 @ 5 cm. For RF emission, a good rule of thumb
is if any LED or LCD displays in the lab start flickering they are being
affected by excessive RF output, and the power supply or leads need
more shielding. Note that at this level of interference, other sensitive
electronic equipment may be adversely affected - with corresponding
safety implications. For example, mass flow controllers that are monitoring
(toxic, explosive...) gases are particularly susceptible to RFI, and
can give incorrect readings or be fully open/off without the user being
aware of this.
- cooled. If water cooling is used, ensure water connections are fitted
correctly with no chance of leakage onto the power supply.
- earthed. The casing of all power supplies MUST be earthed, and all
electrical leads must be shielded with coaxial cable
Training Requirements
Training by an experienced person is essential
Risk Remaining
The handling of MW and RF power supplies will always have some degree
of risk and constant vigilance is required in their use.
Emergency Procedures
Shut off power supply, seek First Aid help if necessary
Back to Completed Risk Assessment Forms
Adapted
with permission from School of Chemistry, University of Bristol
|
