•	The sockets for copiers should not be obscured by filing cabinets or other heavy items which make removal of the plug for servicing difficult. The Electricity at Work Regulations require that service activities are carried out with the machine disconnected from the mains, and the law places on customers a duty of care to enable our staff to perform their tasks safely.
•	It is essential that the earth terminal in the socket has a sound connection to the mains earth. The interference suppression filter in the machine makes any fault in the mains earth wiring more apparent. It can result in a mild electric shock (e.g. a 'tingle'), unreliable machine operation or data corruption. The earth should be checked at the socket where the Océ machine is connected. This can be done by any qualified electrician. The Line-to-Earth voltage must be equal to the Line-to-Neutral voltage. The Neutral-to-Earth voltage must be zero. Océ service technicians are instructed to make this check at each installation.
•	Most copiers have metal frames or panels which are connected to the mains earth. Discharge of an electrostatic charge from a person onto the machine may therefore be more noticeable than onto items with a higher electrical resistance. It should not be confused with a fault or a shock from the copier.

Shocks from the static charges built up in clothing are not hazardous. The build-up of charge can be minimised by a number of actions, such as increasing the humidity in the room, or using carpets and clothes containing a higher proportion of natural or anti-static fibres, or avoiding actions that may generate a static charge - for example, a sleeve brushing repeatedly over a plastic surface. In severe cases, conductive footwear with floor mats or carpet sprayed with an anti-static fluid may be helpful. An alternative is to install a small touch-pad near the most common place where shocks occur. The touch-pad consists of a conductive surface connected by a high-value electrical resistor to a lead which is connected to earth. Touching this discharges the static on your body at a controlled rate which does not cause an irritating spark. Suitable items are available from office or computer supplies firms, sometimes as mouse-mats. They can be mounted on the Océ machine and connected to the machine chassis if desired. Where new carpet tiles are to be laid, they should conform to the IBM/ICL specification for electrostatic dissipation.