FIBER OPTIC SAFETY

Michelle Quijano
 What is Fiber Optic Safety?

• Fiber optic refers to the technology that

transmits information as light pulses along a
glass or plastic fiber.
 Fiber Optic Cable Safety Procedures to
Protect Your Health

1. Wear safety glasses or goggles

Fiber optic shards and splinters
can be dangerous if they get in
your eyes. Always wear safety
glasses when working with
fiber optics and use side
shields for full protection.
 Fiber Optic Cable Safety Procedures to
Protect Your Health
2. Keep food and beverages away
from work areas. Fiber particles
can easily get into food or drink
and be swallowed. If ingested ,
they could become embedded in
your digestive system and cause
internal hemorrhaging. You can
protect yourself by wearing
disposable aprons to prevent
fiber particles from getting on
your clothing.
 Fiber Optic Cable Safety Procedures to Protect Your Health

3. Never look directly into the end of fiber

cables. It’s important to be positive
there isn’t a light source at the other
end of the cable, so make sure the fiber
is at least 6 inches away from your eyes.
A fiber optic power meter can help you
make sure the fiber is dark.
Additionally, if you’re using a
microscope, make sure it’s electronic so
you can see the image on a small screen
instead of needing to look directly at it.
 Fiber Optic Cable Safety Procedures
to Protect Your Health
4. Don’t touch your eyes if your hands
have been thoroughly washed. It’s
important to not touch your eyes while
working with fiber optic systems.
• Also after handling fiber optics, someone
who wears contact lenses must wash their
hands very thoroughly before handling
their contact lense. Glass shards can lodge
in the surface of the eye and cause
lacerations.
 Fiber Optic Cable Safety Procedures to
Protect Your Health
5. Properly dispose of fiber and cable
scraps.
• A big part of disposing of fiber and cable
scraps involves keeping track of these
materials. These scraps are very dangerous
and can easily penetrate your skin.
• Fiber glass shards can be hard to see, so it
helps to work on black work mats and
wear disposable lab aprons. This way,
finding scraps is easier.
 Clean Up Afterward

A systematic cleaning effort for the entire work area will

ensure the safety of everyone.
 Modified True or False. Direction: Write True on the
space provided if the statement is correct. Write False if
otherwise.

_____ 1. Fiber optic refers to the technology that transfers information.

_____ 2. Keep your work area clean.
_____ 3. Always wear safety glasses or goggles when working in fiber optics.
_____ 4. When working with fiber optics there is no need to wear safety glasses or goggles.
_____ 5. You can protect yourself by wearing disposable aprons.
_____ 6. Keep eating snacks in working areas.
_____ 7. You can touch your eyes without washing your hands.
_____ 8. Never look directly into the end of fiber cables.
_____ 9. Proper dispose of fiber and cable scraps.
_____ 10. make sure the fiber is at least 4 inches away from your eyes.