Plasma - Agilent Technologies 700 Series User Manual

Safety Practices and Hazards
The safety practices described below are provided to help the user
operate the instrument safely. Read each safety topic thoroughly
before attempting to operate the instrument and always operate the
spectrometer in accordance with these safety practices.

Plasma

The plasma is extremely hot (about 10,000 K) and radiates dangerous
levels of radio frequency (RF) and ultraviolet (UV) energy. The work
coil operates at 1,500 V RMS and about 40 MHz. Exposure to the RF
and UV energy can cause severe skin damage and cataracts of the
eyes, while close contact with the operating plasma can result in
severe heat burns to the skin, and an electrical discharge that can
jump a considerable distance and may cause death, severe electric
shock or sub-surface skin burns.
The plasma must never be operated unless:
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The shielding around the torch compartment is designed to reduce
UV, visible and RF radiation to safe levels while still permitting easy
access to, as well as installation and viewing of, the torch. The
spectrometer has an interlock system that is designed to extinguish
the plasma if either the mains supply fails or the handle on the torch
compartment door is opened. Do not attempt to bypass the interlock
system.
Before opening the torch compartment door, always extinguish the
plasma by pressing F4 on the keyboard or by clicking the 'Plasma Off'
icon on the ICP Expert II software toolbar.
The torch and its surroundings remain hot for up to five minutes
after the plasma is extinguished. Touching this area before it has
cooled sufficiently may result in burns. Allow the torch and torch
compartment to cool before carrying out any work in this area, or
wear heat-resistant gloves.
8
the torch compartment door is closed, with the locking lever fully
latched; and
the space above the chimney is clear of objects.
Agilent 700 Series ICP Optical Emission Spectrometers User's Guide