What key safety practice should be followed when servicing electrical components?

When servicing electrical components, ensuring that the power is always disconnected before beginning work is paramount for safety. This practice helps to mitigate the risk of electric shock or injury while handling potentially live parts. By disconnecting power, you create a safer work environment, allowing you to inspect, repair, or replace components without being exposed to electrical hazards.

Maintaining this standard not only protects the technician but also prevents unintended operation of the equipment, which could lead to accidents. While other safety measures, such as wearing insulating gloves, using insulated tools, and testing for voltage, are also important, they are secondary precautions that should be in place only after the power has been safely disconnected. This order of operations highlights the importance of disconnection as the first line of defense in electrical safety practices.