Assignment 5 - Health & Safety when Connecting Peripherals

Health & Safety Working Practices

Whilst sitting at a computer you must ensure that you take the right precautions, before and during so that you are able to work in a safe environment. Working in a safe environment is important when operating with computers systems. These are the following actions that you should undertake.

 When sitting at a computer you must make sure than you are seated at an appropriate height, ensuring that you are working at a safe distance. Working for long periods of time without regular breaks may cause stress and lack of motivation. Without these regular breaks this could affect the positive drive required to produce ‘good’ work they wish to achieve. Users should undertake a 5-10 minute break every 45 minutes. Working for too long will cause strain on the eyes and make the quality of work not up to the user’s ability.

Not only sitting at a computer for too long can cause strain to your eyes but sitting incorrectly can also cause discomfort. You must make sure that your arms are placed at a comfortable position to avoid strain from wrists while you are typing. Make sure that you are seated in an upright position and having the computer screen parallel to eye level, this will prevent any to all discomfort and strain to your neck muscles. Your arms should be placed parallel with the desk you are working at.

For school or in the work place, users must keep bags in a safe place so that they are avoided from tripping or falling over them. These bags should be kept either on a table away from the computers or under a desk in which the user is working at. It can also be advised that keeping muscles regularly stretched can be beneficial to each of the users.

There may also be wiring exposure that could cause problems, if there happens to be any sort of loose wiring you must always make sure that it has been tucked away so that nobody can fall or trip over it, this could be very dangerous not only for the person in question but for the systems in which it operates from, always double check and make sure and avoid any form of wiring exposure.

In following these instructions this should ensure that working at a computer is done safely and the user is able to enjoy working at a computers systems stress free.



Health & Safety when connecting peripherals

When working with all the different ranges of hardware components users must ensure that they do it safely to make sure that it doesn’t damage any of the systems devices. These are the following pieces of equipment I will be discussing throughout this task.

·         Printer

·         Speakers

·         Scanner

·         Digital Camera

·         Microphone

Printer – When connecting up a printer you must check the printer has sufficient amount of paper inside. There must be a working connection between the computer and the printer itself, this piece of apparatus is a USB cable. You must then ensure that the plug is inserted into the socket in the wall. You must then to turn on the switch at the mains. Make sure that the cable has been put into the correct connection and then try and do test prints to see if the systems are in working order.

Speakers – When connecting up the speakers to computer systems you must make sure that the plug has been inserted into the socket, after this has been done you can turn on the speakers by flicking the switch from off to on. Then look for the wiring that connects the speakers and the systems together so that it is capable of producing the sound from computer.

Scanner – When connecting up a scanner you must check that the wiring for the USB cable connecting the computer with the scanner is connected into the correct area. You can then connect the plug has been by inserting into the socket. You may do a test scan to ensure that the scanner is in working order.

           

Digital Camera – When connecting up a Digital Camera you must make sure that the cable connecting both the computer with the camera is inserted into the correct USB port. Turn the computer on at the mains by turning the switch from off to on. Connect up the camera by inserting the USB cable into the correct USB port. There should then be a working connection between the computer and the camera, an icon should then appear on the desktop to show the camera is connected.

Microphone – When connecting up a Microphone you must make sure that the mains of the computer have been switched on by turning the switch from off to on. You may then test check in to make sure that the equipment is in working order.

Screenshots

Once the camera has been linked up to the computer you will notice an icon at the bottom right hand corner of the screen showing “Finepix JX300.” This shows that the device is installed and ready to use.

In “My Computer” it will show on the left hand side of the folder that you are able to click into the camera device, once it has shown “Finepix JX300” you may click into this.

Once you have clicked into the device you will notice all of the images that the camera has stored into its memory.

Speakers

Take the cable that connects the speakers to the computer

Insert the cable into the appropriate area and the speakers will have a working connection.



Insert the plug into the mains

Turn the plug on and there should be a working connection between the computer and the speakers.


I then did a test to see in the speakers were in working order by playing some music.

Camera

Take the USB cable that connects the camera to the systems

Insert the cable that connects the camera and insert it into a USB port

Insert the cable into the camera

Once you have inserted the cable and there is a working connection it is now ready to use.


I did a test check to make sure that the camera was hooked up to the computer by clicking into the icon titled “Finepix JX300.”

Different Types of Computer Systems

PC



A PC (Personal Computer) is a programable machine that carrys out tasks. Whenever a task has begun the PC then responds to this task. The meaning of PC has been lost in translation, people refer this to the keyboard and the monitor etc. PC actually only refers to the computer itself.

Laptop

Like a Computer, A Laptop's feature are quite similar, they both have a screen and a keyboard, but a Laptop is Portable and can be brought anywhere with the user. For it to work it runs on a battery that is charged via a cable. To access it online it can be picked up on the Wi-Fi or via a Portable USB Connecter.


Netbook



A Netbook is just a smaller and more compact version of a Laptop and is easier to carry about. There main purpose is for  easy access to the internet and the ability work for users who need to to work quicky from either work or school.





PDA







A PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) is a handheld computer. it's similar to a Mobile device. They have many features including the same use as a mobile phone and much more. They hold great amounts of information such as address books, being able to word process information and making to-do lists



Mobile Phone

A Mobile Phone is a device that is used to keep in contact with others. The two most common uses for mobile phones are used for SMS Texting and Calling. New and more up to date mobiles are possible to send E-mail's which would only ever used to be thought of doing onto computers, they can be sent and recieved from anywhere.

Games Console


A Games Console is used to play video games. There are many different choices when it comes to games consoles. The list  includes the Playstation 3, X-Box 360 and the Nintendo Wii. Gamers can now interact with other gamers using online features.

Tablet

A Tablet is a portable device capable of wireless connections, it has touch screen features and is alot large than a smart phone. A prime example and most known table available to buy is the Apple Ipad.

Data Flow Diagram

Software

Systems Software


Systems Software is designed to run and operate the computers hardware by running on the application software. These apllications run inside of the computer and cannot be physically touched. An example of this would be a Word Processing Software.


Software Utilities


Software Utilities are applications capable of analyzing, optimizing and maintaining your computer. It is designed to make sure that the computers systems are well looked after and working to the best of its ability. A prime example of a Ultility Software is Norton Ultility.


Applications Software




Application Software is a program or a group of programs a user can open up to carry out specific tasks which the user needs. These tasks would include Games, web browsers and all of Microsoft Office, for example Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint etc are all applications. These Microsoft applications are all used differently to what the user wishes to edit or add in information.

Storage Devices

Storage Devices are hardware devices capable of storing/saving information. For example to store music files these can be written onto a CD. There are two different types of memory, volatile and non-volatile. Volatile is when the data is lost whenever the computer has been re-booted. Non-volatile is when all of the information can be backed up and will be able to retained even when the power has been switched off.


Processor



A Processor is the CPU (Central Processing Unit) In simpliest terms this is the computers brain. It tells the computer what to do and when the computer to do it.




DVD/CD







A DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. DVD's are used to store movies, television programmes and multimedia presentations. The Memory of a DVD's can range from 4.7GB to around 17GB. Not only can DVD's be viewed but movies which have been downloaded onto the computer can be written onto a disc. Like a DVD, a CD can also have data written onto, as such as music, pictures and manys different formats of audio. We use CD's to listen to music mainly.

Flash Drive




A Flash Drive is a small storage device that is used to transport files to and from the computer to various other computers. These can also be known as USB Drives. They can be helpful to students at school wanting to store their essays/homework so they can work between home and school. They are small, compact and easy to carry about.

Hard Disk Drive





The Hard Disk Drive is somewhere were data can be stored onto the computer. Its controlled onto this and mostly everything that is needed to be saved is stored onto the Hard Disk Drive.

CD ROM


The CD ROM stands for Compact Disk - Read Only Memory and is used to store large amounts of Software and Information. Not only can information be read on it but also data can be written and saved onto it.

Output Devices

Printer

A Printer is an output device used to copy information from the computer onto paper form. This is used alot in offices and schools for the user to be able to have a copy for themselves or others.

Monitor

A Monitor is an output device used for the user to be able to view what they are searching for on the screen, a monitor is an essential piece of equipment because without a monitor nothing can be done.

Speakers



Speakers are an output device used so that the user will be able to listen to any piece of music, video or any other sort of audio on the system. They are external and easy for the user to decide on different volumes.


Projector

A Projecter is a device that is connected onto the computer and whatever is being viewed on it will be shown onto a overhead slide and will magnify the size greatly. They are found very useful in schools in which a teacher can display examples of work to show the many students at the same time.

Input Devices

Webcam

A Webcam is a device that is used to interact with other users visually. It provides other users with real time images which is connected via USB, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Webcams can be used for companies to set up a video conference. This is helpful for for long distance meetings and saves traveling cost.


Microphone

A Micophone is a device used to input sound into the computer, nowadays entering data isnt only used by typing information in. They can be used to interact with gamers, talk to people via Skype and for recording voice data or music.


Digital Camera

A Digital Camara is a device used to take still photos. When a picture has been taken that picture can then be immediately uploaded onto the comptuter where it can be used to save or print for whatever use.



Touch Screen

A Touch Screen is a device that has the systems of a computer but the screen can be "touched" by hand. The information and pictures can be looked at by pressing down. there is no need for a mouse.


Keyboard 




A keyboard device is used to type and key in information on to the computer. A keyboard is an essential tool for a computer. It is used to type data onto a Microsoft engines, online and almost everything on a computer has been used to key in.

Joystick/Games Controller

A Games controller is a device used with a games console to control whats going on inside the games, it provides the input and what the player wishes to do. Examples of consoles that have games controllers include, X-Box, Playstations, Nintendo and Computers.


Mouse

A Mouse is a device used for a computer so information can be "clicked," or "scrolled." It consists of two buttons and a "wheel." For a user to be able to look from page to page a mouse is a very important tool for a computer.

Graphics Tablet


A Graphics Tablet is used like a Touch Screen Device, it has similar attributes. Graphics Tablet are provided with a stylus which is used in the same way in which a pen is used to write information. This infomation can be written or or used to draw images.