Preventive Maintenance of Fiber Optic Cables and Optics 2006-05

Safety Precautions
General safety precautions are discussed within this document but care should be
taken to consult and follow your specific optical device manuals as well as the safety
precautions outlined for the chemical or tool of use.
Hewlett-Packard Corporation assumes no liability for customer failure to comply with
these requirements.
WARNING
Never look into the end of an optical interface while the device is opera-
tional. Laser radiation can be harmful to the human eye and injury may
occur under prolonged exposure.
Cautions
■ Do not remove transceiver covers when operating.
■ Ensure the unit power is turned off during cleaning.
■ Ensure that other power/light sources are disabled during the cleaning of the
optical interfaces.
■ Do not install any unauthorized modifications to the optical devices.
Tools
Compressed air
Clean Dry Air (CDA) is essential to ensure the aerosol is free of dust, water, and oil.
Use filtered compressed air or canned compressed air, which is available at any
laboratory supplier or photo/camera shop.
Lens paper
A long fiber, low ash content type; having no chemical additives is recommended to
minimize particulates and the chance of streaking and/or scratching of the optical
surfaces. Lens paper is widely available at any laboratory supplier, drug store or
photo/camera shop.
Isopropyl Alcohol or Methanol
Cleaning solutions are available at any laboratory supplier. Isopropyl Alcohol is also
available at local drug stores, pharmacies, or photo/camera shops. Special care
should be practiced when using chemicals and it is important to follow the manufac-
turer’s product guidelines.