HER x UST Workshop on 21 Nov 2025 (Part 2)
The UST × HER Workshop Part 2 (21 Nov 2025) builds on the first session and shifts the focus from climate and circular‑economy concepts to very practical electrical safety and appliance care.
【Collaboration Synergy】
Academic foundation × Practical safety know‑how:
HKUST provides the learning environment and student audience, while HER’s technical director shares professional knowledge on electrical hazards, safety resistance, current paths and international standards, turning theory into real‑life safety awareness.
Sustainability × Appliance longevity:
By teaching students how to prevent electric shock, use plugs and adaptors correctly, and maintain appliances safely, the workshop links safe use with longer product life, less e‑waste and less energy waste.
Corrective to Repair Concept:
The session also introduces tools, lubricants, and cleaning methods, and aims to implement corrective measures during the workshop.
🌟【Event Highlights】🌟
On 21 November 2025, Household Electronics Reborn (HER) and HKUST hosted the second part of their joint workshop, focusing on practical electricity safety and household appliance maintenance. Led by HER’s technical director, the session explained why mains electricity at 220–380V and 50Hz is dangerous to the human body, and how factors such as body resistance, current strength, contact time and current path determine the severity of electric shock. Students learned simple yet critical rules to prevent accidents, including never operating switches or appliances with wet hands, always cutting power off before inspection or repair, and avoiding inserting metal objects into sockets.
The workshop also introduced key elements of electricity risk management: appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), correct wiring and protective functions of BS 1363 three‑pin plugs, and the characteristics of double‑insulated appliances. A large part of the session focused on safe, practical care for everyday appliances—fans, dehumidifiers, microwaves and other common devices. Students were shown how to switch off and unplug correctly, avoid overloading adaptors and extension units, clean filters and surfaces, and use tools, lubricants and cleaning safety. The event concluded with additional resources on the global “right to repair” movement, helping students connect local safety practices and maintenance habits with wider efforts to reduce e‑waste and extend product lifespans.
🌟 【Benefits】 🌟
The UST × HER Workshop Part 2 on Electricity Safety and Household Appliance Maintenance generated multi‑layered benefits for students, HER, and the wider community. For students and HKUST, the workshop transformed abstract concepts of risk and safety into concrete, memorable practices that they can apply immediately in halls, at home, and in future workplaces. By understanding how current, body resistance, contact time and current path affect electric shock, students gained a deeper appreciation of why “small” habits—such as drying hands before touching switches or always unplugging before maintenance—are critical for preventing serious injury. At the same time, learning how to safely maintain fans, dehumidifiers, and microwaves equips them with practical life skills that extend appliance lifespans and reduce replacement costs.
For HER, the event strengthened its position as both a repair‑focused social enterprise and a trusted education partner on electrical safety and sustainability. Engaging directly with university students helps HER build a pipeline of future volunteers, collaborators and ambassadors who understand the value of “repair instead of discard”.
At the community and environmental level, the workshop contributes to fewer home accidents, longer‑lasting appliances and less e‑waste. When students bring these practices back to their families and social circles, they help reduce the likelihood of dangerous DIY repairs, overloaded adaptors and poorly maintained devices, while also cutting unnecessary disposal and energy waste. In this way, the workshop supports Hong Kong’s broader goals on safety, waste reduction and circular economy, showing how a single university‑community partnership can generate lasting social and environmental impact.
