Tool & Workshop Safety

01

Battery & ESD Safety

Lithium-ion batteries store an enormous amount of energy in a very small space — that's what makes phones and laptops possible, and it's also what makes a damaged cell dangerous. When the thin internal separator is punctured, bent, or overheated, the battery can enter thermal runaway: an uncontrolled chemical reaction that produces heat and flammable gas faster than it can escape. Once that starts, the cell can ignite or rupture within seconds, no matter how careful you are afterward. Every precaution below exists to make sure that reaction never starts in the first place.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD)

Static electricity doesn't just give you a shock — it can silently destroy a circuit board without you ever noticing. A discharge of around 100 volts, far below what you can actually feel, is enough to damage many modern chips. Grounding yourself lets that static charge bleed away safely instead of jumping into a sensitive component the moment you touch it.

• Wear a wrist strap clipped to a grounded mat for any board-level work
• Keep boards and modules in anti-static bags when they're off the mat
• Be extra cautious in dry conditions — static builds up faster below ~30% humidity

Handling batteries safely

Most battery incidents in a repair shop come down to one of two mistakes: prying too aggressively near the cell, or continuing to use a battery that was already showing warning signs. Both are entirely preventable.

• Use a plastic spudger, never a metal tool, anywhere near battery terminals — metal can short the cell instantly
• Lift gently using the pull-tab; never pry, bend, or puncture the cell itself
• Retire a battery immediately if it's swollen, hot to the touch, or has a sweet/sour smell — these are signs of internal breakdown, not cosmetic issues

IF A BATTERY STARTS SMOKING OR IGNITES

Lithium fires burn hot, fast, and release toxic fumes — speed and the right response matter more than trying to "save" the device.

• Move people away first — don't move the device itself once it's actively venting
• Smother with sand or a Class D / ABC extinguisher — never water, which can react violently with lithium
• Let it burn out fully in a fireproof container, then ventilate the area — the fumes are toxic
• Call the fire department if smoke is heavy or spreading

02

Chemical & Solvent Safety

Isopropyl alcohol, flux, and adhesive removers feel routine because you use them every day — which is exactly why they're easy to get careless with. None of these are exotic hazards; they're common household-adjacent chemicals that become dangerous mainly through repetition and proximity to heat.

Know what you're handling

• IPA is highly flammable and has a flash point at room temperature — keep it away from hot irons and heat guns entirely, not just "nearby"
• Rosin flux fumes can irritate airways with repeated exposure over time — work with a fume extractor or near open ventilation, not just when it smells strong
• Keep a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) on file for every chemical you stock — WHMIS labelling requirements apply in Canada

PPE & storage

• Nitrile gloves, not latex — most solvents degrade latex quickly, reducing protection without any visible warning
• Safety glasses any time you're working with flux or adhesive remover near eye level
• Store solvents upright, sealed, in a dedicated flammables cabinet away from ignition sources

• Never decant solvents into an unlabeled container — the next person to use it has no way to know what's inside
• Never use solvent and a heat tool in the same motion

IF SOLVENT GETS IN YOUR EYES

• Flush immediately with water or eyewash solution for at least 15 minutes
• Remove contact lenses if you can do so quickly
• Seek medical attention even if the irritation seems to fade

IF YOU FEEL DIZZY OR NAUSEOUS FROM FUMES

• Stop immediately and move to fresh air
• Don't go back in until the area is properly ventilated
• Seek medical attention if symptoms don't clear quickly

03

Tool, Equipment & Glass Safety

Burns and cuts are the most common injuries in any repair workshop — and almost all of them trace back to the same handful of habits, not faulty equipment. Good tool discipline is the single biggest factor in workshop safety.

Heat tools

• Soldering iron tips typically run 300-370°C — always rest it in its stand, never on the bench
• Heat guns for SMD rework run 300-650°C — keep the gun moving and use a heat shield on nearby components
• Tin the tip before storing it — this protects the tip and reduces fume release

IF YOU GET BURNED BY A HOT IRON OR HEAT GUN

• Cool the area under cool — not ice-cold — running water for 10 to 20 minutes immediately
• Don't apply ice directly to the skin, and don't pop any blisters that form
• Seek medical attention for burns larger than a coin, or any burn that blisters significantly

Cracked screens & broken glass

A cracked display is one of the most common things on your bench — and one of the most underestimated. Shards can be nearly invisible and stay sharp long after the repair is "done."

• Wear cut-resistant gloves whenever separating a cracked display
• Warm the adhesive with a heat mat or hot air before lifting glass — less force means fewer shards breaking loose
• Wear safety glasses when prying or separating badly cracked glass — fragments can flick upward unexpectedly
• Collect broken glass with tape or a dedicated puncture-proof sharps container — never bare hands, and never a standard vacuum (shards can damage the motor or get thrown back out)

IF YOU CUT YOURSELF ON GLASS OR A BLADE

• Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth
• Clean the wound and check the depth — deep or gaping cuts need stitches, not just a bandage
• Seek medical attention for any cut that won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of steady pressure

Blades, spudgers & pry tools

• Always cut and pry away from your hand and body, never toward it
• Use cut-resistant gloves for any sustained blade work

Maintenance

• Check cords for fraying before each use — retire anything with damaged insulation immediately
• Calibrate torque drivers periodically so you're not over-tightening fasteners and stressing components

04

Customer Device Handling

Protecting yourself starts with protecting — and documenting — the device in front of you. Most disputes over "pre-existing damage" come down to a missing photo, not a disagreement about what actually happened.

At intake

• Photograph any existing scratches, cracks, or dents before you start work
• Power on and check for liquid-damage indicators where possible
• Tell the customer about repair risks — like fragile flex cables — before they leave the device with you

During & after

• Store devices on a padded, stable surface — never stacked under other devices
• Test functionality with the customer present at handover, not after they've already left

IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG DURING A REPAIR

• Stop work immediately — don't try to quietly fix or hide the issue
• Photograph what happened and document it in detail
• Inform your shop's owner or manager right away — clear documentation protects you and the business

05

Equip Your Shop

Good intentions don't help if the right thing isn't within reach when something goes wrong. Before you start repair work, make sure your bench has:

• A Class D fire extinguisher, or a covered metal bucket of dry sand, for lithium battery fires — water makes them worse, not better
• An eyewash station, or at minimum a bottle of sterile saline solution
• A basic first aid kit stocked with burn gel and adhesive bandages
• Nitrile gloves and cut-resistant gloves, both within easy reach
• Safety glasses for anyone handling glass, flux, or solvents
• A fume extractor, or at minimum a window or fan for ventilation
• A puncture-proof sharps container for broken glass and blades
• A fireproof bag or container for storing or transporting damaged batteries
• An SDS binder covering every chemical kept on site
• Bright, glare-free bench lighting — most slips and misjudged distances from a hot tool happen when you can't see clearly up close

Emergency quick reference

Know these before you need them — fill in your shop's specifics:

• Fire extinguisher / sand location: ___________
• First aid kit location: ___________
• SDS binder location: ___________
• Nearest emergency exit / evacuation point: ___________