Chapter 5 - Safety and major developments in technology Flashcards
What is a risk assessment?
This applies to both the design and manufacture of the products, it looks at the outcomes of risk and how likely the risk is to occur, along with a description of control measures which should be taken.
What legislation’s have been put in place to protect employees involved in manufacturing?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Personal Protective Clothing Regulations 2002 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Name 6 ways in which manufacturers ensure safety in the workplace?
Training, guarding on machines, personal protective clothing, extraction, COSHH, risk assessments
How does training ensure safety in the workplace?
Employees are trained to safely use the equipment in which they operate, this might include taking health and safety courses and being tested against the health and safety executive standards to prove competence.
What does trading standards do?
They are responsible for the day to day enforcement of consumer safety law, they have the power to remove unsafe products from the market and prosecute offenders.
What is the CE mark?
A product which reaches all of the relevant EU directives. And that the product is safe.
Describe the ergonomic and anthropometric features of the handle, lid and spout of a kettle, as seen on page 174
The handle - made from a thermoset polymer meaning it won’t conduct heat from the body of the kettle so it is more comfortable to hold. Being mounted near the top of the kettle makes it uncomfortable to hold when pouring, steam will also rise up towards your hand possibly burning you.
The Lid - Mounted under the main handle making it difficult to lift off, the small handle makes it hard to grip.
The spout - Angled meaning water can be poured without splashing, being narrow makes it difficult to fill the kettle.
Name three products which have been adapted and how for disabled people
Kettles with tipping devices for one-handed operation
Tap lever attachment to aid opening and closing taps for people who find it difficult to grip.
Hand controls on cars - allowing people to accelerate and break using hand controls attached to the steering wheel - for people who cant use their legs effectively.
What do new public buildings have to insure?
That the building has been designed which allows disabled people access and facilities such as toilets.
What major development occurred in the 1930’s? And what components was it made from?
Radios became commercially available, they were very expensive equivalent to a couple of months wages
The radio mainly consisted of 240-volt circuits using thermionic valves. They were operated by a flow of electrons when the valves were heated, an internal grid controlled by the flow of electrons. The radio also included large amounts of resistors and capacitors all cased in a wooden box, making them very heavy.
What major development occurred in the 1940’s and 1950’s?
Bakelite a thermosetting polymer was used on radios for various external components, such as volume and station control knobs.
What is a transistor? And how do they work?
A transistor is an electron switch, which controls the flow of electrons, making them effective at providing an amplification stage for the radio. They are made from two semiconductors and they need a lot less power than a thermionic valve.
What did the invention of transistors allow?
They used a lot less power, so electronics were made more energy efficient. They also were smaller, reducing the size of electronics and resulted in the reduction of capacitors and resistors. All of this meant a radio could now be powered off a 9v battery.
What happened to radios in the 1960’s?
The quality of the sound was much improved and was tailored for listening to music, and the wood designs started to be covered using fake leather and other plastics.
What major development happened in 1970’s?
There was an increasing use of thermo polymers and acrylic based ones such as ABS. This meant injection moulding was used to produce the radio cases and they were able to mould styling and ergonomic features into the radios. As well as reducing size and power consumption, allowing the radios to become pocket size.
