Chapter 30 – Hazards

This chapter reviews the different hazards that can be associated with operating vacuum deposition systems. This includes a demonstration of how to carry out a risk assessment process. Many of the risks are obvious such as the trapping hazard when a large system door is closing or during deposition where there is the use of high power for the deposition sources. Other hazards are less obvious such as for development deposition systems where the system may be used for different materials and there is the possibility of depositing layers that may interact with each other leading to hazards such as a chemical interaction that may be exothermic or worse still a potential explosive. Where a plasma is used, material may be broken down and the system exhaust may contain by-products that are hazardous. Where a new process is being considered it is better to carry out a safety review before the system is designed so that any safety measures can be designed into the process rather trying to add the one as a retrofit item that may be more difficult and costly.