SeaPerch Remotely Operated Vehicle, Construction Manual, Page: 13 / 110

SeaPerch ROV Construction Manual
– Version 2010-04NW
S-1
Figure S-1. Wax Squirted on Student’s Safety
Glasses
Safety Overview
Protective Eyewear
Students, teachers, and classroom helpers should wear protective
eyewear at all times when building SeaPerch ROVs. Although some
procedures do not usually involve significant eye hazards, the students
often work close to others, who at any time may be performing more
potentially hazardous steps. Activities such as soldering, cutting, drilling,
applying adhesives, and potting thrusters can easily cause materials or
parts of broken tools to fly significant distances. Below are some
examples.

Soldering: Solder contains rosin flux in its core to help clean the
electrical connections and help the solder to adhere to the metal
properly. Small amounts of flux can occasionally pop out of the
melting solder and sometimes travel far enough to reach the eye of the
person soldering, or even someone nearby. Protective eyewear is
essential for everyone in the area.

Potting Thrusters with Wax: Melting wax tends to stay in the melting
container or where it is poured. However, there is one step in the
potting process that can occasionally cause wax to fly a significant
distance, often reaching a ceiling, wall, or floor, and it therefore
presents a risk for nearby eyes (as well as skin and clothing). This
step is the one in which the lid is pushed onto the thruster housing. If
performed too quickly, it can result in wax squirting out of the hole in
the lid (where the
wires pass through).
Quick, hard pressing
of the lid is common,
as students excitedly
put the lid in place
before the wax
hardens or spills.
Figure S-1 shows an
actual result (held by a
forever-committed
safety-glasses wearer).