Prevent ESD damage with an ESD-safe workplace

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can be harmful to products. There are several things you can do to prevent this, one of which is converting your work environment to an EPA (ESD Protected Area). How do you do this? This article provides helpful tips!

But first, let's explain what ESD is and how it can cause damage.

Have you ever felt an electric discharge when getting out of a car? This is caused by a brief electric current flowing between two differently charged objects, causing charge equalization. This discharge isn't harmful to humans because of its short duration. However, electronic components and printed circuit boards with integrated circuits (ICs) are very sensitive to electrostatic discharge and can be damaged by it.

This has unpleasant consequences for companies:

High costs due to damage and/or failure
Unreliable products
Dissatisfied customers
Higher costs for repair and replacement

An electrostatic discharge (spark) can also result in fire and explosions, among other things. It can also attract dust particles, which is not desirable in a cleanroom environment, for example.

We'll explain how to prevent ESD damage with a few tips!

Tip 1Create an ESD control plan

The purpose of an ESD control plan is a document that outlines how to protect sensitive components and parts from ESD. It includes, for example, limits for ESD values and a schedule for ESD testing. An ESD control plan helps implement ESD safety in a work environment, and the ISO-EN 61340-5-1 standard requires such a plan.

Tip 2: Invest in an ESD floor or mats

Once the plan is complete, you should first consider the flooring in your work environment. An ESD floor or mat must be grounded to provide ESD protection. This is especially important when using moving objects like carts and chairs. There are several types of ESD flooring or mats you can consider, depending on your workspace and the nature of your work. For example, there are ESD-safe floors specifically designed to absorb static discharge and conduct it to a common grounding point. Vinyl ESD flooring and rubber ESD flooring are also options, the latter being particularly suitable for work environments with heavy equipment or machinery.

Tip 3: Choose ESD-safe furniture

All furniture used in an EPA must be ESD-safe, especially furniture used for working with components or other electronic equipment, such as assembly workbenches or nearby furniture like carts and cabinets. It is essential to verify ESD values with accurate measurements.

Tip 4: Protect your employees

An employee who enters an EPA without ESD clothing is always electrically charged. And since electrostatic discharge occurs when two charged objects (or people) rub against each other, it's wise to always provide employees with ESD protective clothing and accessories such as ESD shoes, ESD jackets, and ESD gloves. However, an ESD wrist strap is the most effective. This involves attaching a wrist strap to a work table and your wrist, for example, so that the electrostatic discharge can always be dissipated and ESD can be prevented.

Tip 5: Consider the storage of electrical components

Try to keep electronic components in their original ESD packaging as much as possible and, when needed, place them in an ESD-safe storage container to prevent ESD and ESD damage to the components. Check the workflow and layout of the assembly or production line and try to minimize the number of times a component is moved. Also, consider the workspace and workstations where components are packaged and shipped. Packaging stations should also provide ESD protection to maintain the ESD protection chain.

Tip 6Cleaning and testing

Regularly clean all flat work surfaces, floors, and the wheels of carts and chairs with a special ESD cleaning agent. Measure the ESD values at the intervals specified in your ESD control plan. This will maintain your EPA at the correct ESD value and provide protection against ESD damage.

Conclusion

An ESD-safe workplace consists of an ESD-safe floor and ESD-safe furniture. Employees are grounded by protecting them with ESD-safe clothing and an ESD wrist strap that connects them to the work surface. Ensure the ESD-safe circuit running through electrical components is not broken. Clean everything regularly and test the ESD values.

Want to learn more about how to make your workplace ESD-safe? Then be sure to check out informative video or download the e-book through our website!

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