PhotoRobot Safety
Safety is one of those modules where workbook exercises matter more than the textbook. Reading “don’t pull the cable” is one thing. Spotting that someone in your studio is about to do it, and intervening correctly, is what the exercises here drill.
Exercise 1 — Authority check
For each scenario below, decide who is authorized to perform the action. Choose: Authorized authority (approved distributor or manufacturer representative), Trained operator, Anyone with PhotoRobot certification, or Stop, escalate.
| # | Action | Who is authorized? |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | First installation of a brand-new Carousel 5000 at a customer site | |
| 1.2 | Daily startup of a Cube V6 already installed and commissioned | |
| 1.3 | Replacing a damaged supply cord on an active production C1300 | |
| 1.4 | Surface cleaning of a Turning Platform between shoots | |
| 1.5 | Replacing a worn camera mount with a third-party generic mount | |
| 1.6 | Relocating a Cube Compact to a different room in the same building |
Tip: Section 2 of the textbook lists roles and their responsibilities.
Exercise 2 — Electrical hazard spotting
A junior operator is preparing a fresh installation. Walk through their actions and mark each as OK or STOP (with a brief reason).
2.1. They check the rating plate on the back of the Control Unit, see 230V / 50Hz, confirm the wall socket is 230V — and proceed.
Action: Reason:
2.2. They notice the supply cord has a small split in the rubber sheath near the plug, decide it’s only the outer layer, and plug it in.
Action: Reason:
2.3. They cannot find a shockproof socket nearby and use a non-grounded extension cord rated for the device’s amperage.
Action: Reason:
2.4. Their hands are dry. They connect the mains plug, then realize they need to push the cable into a slightly tighter floor channel — they pull on the cable, not the plug, to reposition.
Action: Reason:
2.5. A senior operator returns and notices the junior operator is about to approach a powered-up but stationary Robotic Arm V8 to inspect the camera mount. The senior shouts to stop.
Was the senior right to stop them? Reason:
Exercise 3 — Working envelope
Use the textbook example: Robotic Arm V8 has a 32 cm elevator range and a 0-90° swing arm range.
3.1. Sketch (paper or whiteboard) the working envelope of the Robotic Arm V8 in plan view. Mark the keep-out zone around it.
3.2. A visitor walks toward the studio while the arm is mid-sequence. They are 1.2 meters from the arm base. Where should the operator position themselves to intervene safely?
Answer:
3.3. Name two other devices on the photorobot.com lineup whose working envelopes you would need to know before operating. Explain why.
Device 1 + reason: Device 2 + reason:
Exercise 4 — Service vs. user maintenance
For each task, decide if it is user maintenance (operator can do it) or service (authorized authority only).
| # | Task | User maint. or Service? |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Wiping the touchscreen of the Control Unit with a damp cloth | |
| 4.2 | Replacing a fuse inside the Control Unit | |
| 4.3 | Cleaning dust off the turntable surface with a microfiber cloth | |
| 4.4 | Adjusting the leveling feet because the floor is not perfectly flat | |
| 4.5 | Lubricating the elevator rails of a Robotic Arm V8 | |
| 4.6 | Re-tightening a loose bolt on a Carousel platform |
Tip: if a task involves opening the device housing, accessing electrical components, or replacing parts → it is service. Surface cleaning and external adjustments per the device manual = user maintenance.
Exercise 5 — Stop the line
Read the scenario and answer.
Mid-shoot. You are operating a C1300 with a sequence of 36 frames per spin. After about 100 SKUs the device starts making a faint clicking sound on rotation — not loud, but new. The studio manager is on a sales call and not immediately reachable. The customer is waiting for delivery by end of day.
5.1. What is your first action?
5.2. What is NOT an acceptable action, even under delivery pressure?
5.3. Where do you document the incident so it reaches an authorized authority quickly?
5.4. What is the proper escalation chain in a studio where your manager is unreachable? (Open answer — your instructor will discuss the proper chain for your context.)
Exercise 6 — Pre-flight checklist
Before your first hands-on session in the next module (B03 Network setup, B04 Locator app, or B05 Workspace configuration), make sure you can answer “yes” to all of these:
If you can’t tick all seven, re-read the relevant section of textbook.md and the Safety manual on photorobot.com before moving on.
Solutions
Don’t look here until you’ve finished the exercises.
Exercise 1 — Authority check
- 1.1 — Authorized authority (first installation is exclusively for an approved distributor or manufacturer representative)
- 1.2 — Trained operator (daily startup is operator work, assuming the device was correctly commissioned)
- 1.3 — Stop, escalate then Authorized authority (damaged supply cord = device must not be used until the authority replaces the cord; do not improvise)
- 1.4 — Trained operator (surface cleaning per manual is user maintenance)
- 1.5 — Stop, escalate (third-party non-original parts forbidden; only original spare parts via authority)
- 1.6 — Authorized authority (relocation = re-installation = re-leveling, re-cable management, re-test = authority work)
Exercise 2 — Electrical hazard spotting
- 2.1 — OK. Voltage matching is the correct precondition for proceeding.
- 2.2 — STOP. Any damage to the supply cord requires replacement before use. “Only the outer layer” is not a judgment for the operator to make.
- 2.3 — STOP. Grounding is mandatory; a non-grounded extension cord bypasses it. Get a shockproof socket installed, or relocate the device.
- 2.4 — STOP. Never pull on the cable — always pull the plug. Pulling the cable damages the internal wire-to-plug bond and the cord strain relief.
- 2.5 — Yes, the senior was right. Approaching a powered-up device (even stationary) is unsafe — the device can move at the next command. Power down first via the Control Unit mains switch.
Exercise 4 — Service vs. user maintenance
- 4.1 — User maintenance (surface cleaning)
- 4.2 — Service (opening the device, electrical component)
- 4.3 — User maintenance (surface cleaning)
- 4.4 — User maintenance (external adjustment per manual)
- 4.5 — Service (internal mechanical part; original-spec lubricant; authority work)
- 4.6 — Service (load-bearing fasteners; torque specification matters; authority work)
Exercise 5 — Stop the line
5.1. Stop the sequence using the Control Unit mains switch. Diagnostic clicking on a powered device may indicate mechanical wear or electrical fault — both worsen with continued operation.
5.2. Continuing to push out SKUs to meet the deadline. Customer delivery pressure does not override safety. The cost of one delayed shipment is recoverable; the cost of failed equipment or operator injury is not.
5.3. Studio’s incident log (every PhotoRobot studio should maintain one, ideally with timestamp + symptom + photo / video if safe). Then ticket to PhotoRobot support per the post-sales support agreement. Manager picks it up when off the call.
5.4. (Open answer — depends on each studio’s escalation chain. Common pattern: operator → senior operator → studio manager → external support / authority. In smaller studios this collapses to operator → distributor support directly.)
Done?
When you’ve worked through all exercises and reviewed the solutions, ask your instructor (or self-administer) the module knowledge check: 5 questions drawn from a pool of 12.
Knowledge check is not graded for certification — it’s diagnostic. If you score low, re-read the relevant textbook section and try again. Then proceed to module B03 — Network setup, B04 — Locator app, or B05 — Workspace configuration, depending on your certification path.