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8 Steps to an Effective ESD Control Program: A Guide to ESD Prevention

Press Office, VersaLogic Corporation, 08/27/26

Electrostatic discharge, or ESD, is the sudden flow of electricity between two objects. ESD occurs after a buildup of static electricity on an object. Electrostatic charge is most commonly created by the contact and separation of two similar or dissimilar materials.

For example, a person walking across the floor generates static electricity as shoe soles contact and then separate from the floor surface. An electronic device sliding into or out of a bag generates an electrostatic charge as the device makes multiple contacts and separations with the surface of the bag.

As shown in Figure 1, even contact with improper packaging material can generate more than enough static electricity to cause shock and damage. That’s why it’s important to set up an effective ESD control program to eliminate the chance of damage.

Figure 1: Improper packaging of static-sensitive product. Clear plastic bubble wrap, styrofoam packing, and crumpled newspaper are all potential sources of static electricity and may damage a sensitive component.

A complete electrostatic discharge prevention program includes a plan, training, protective equipment, management, and system audits.

Whether you’re establishing an ESD program for the first time or reviewing an existing one, these eight steps provide a practical framework for getting started.

In This Guide

  1. Research and Consult with ESD Experts
  2. Identify ESD-Sensitive Work Areas
  3. Identify Sources of ESD in the Workplace
  4. Establish the Required Level of ESD Protection
  5. Develop an ESD Control Plan
  6. Implement ESD Protection Solutions
  7. Build an ESD Team and Train Employees
  8. Maintain and Audit the ESD Control System
  9. Conclusion

1. Research and Consult with ESD Experts

Learn all you can about preventing ESD damage at your company. Check with industry groups such as the ESD Association (Rome, NY) and IPC Association (Northbrook, IL). Many engineering and consulting companies also provide specialized expertise. ESD safe product companies can provide good advice, but be aware that they can be biased. As a result, be sure to take your own measurements. See Figure 2 for some suggestions on where to start your research.

Figure 2: ESD Control Program Resources

ESD Associationwww.esda.org
IPC Associationwww.ipc.org
ESD Products ManufacturersTalk to several vendors
ESD training resourcestraining.ipc.org/
(choose ESD Control under Electronics Assembly)

2. Identify ESD-Sensitive Work Areas

Work areas requiring ESD protection include assembly and packaging stations, engineering and testing areas, and anywhere else that unshielded products or components are handled or stored (see Figure 3). To achieve the highest standards, include areas that are not always thought of as requiring ESD protection.

Figure 3: Typical Facility Areas Requiring ESD Protection

  • Receiving
  • Inspection
  • Stores and warehouses
  • Assembly
  • Test and inspection
  • Research and development
  • Packaging
  • Field service repair
  • Offices and laboratories
  • Clean rooms

3. Identify the Sources of ESD in the Workplace

Non-conductive materials such as plastic parts, tape, cardboard and Styrofoam are common sources of ESD. High voltage items like computer monitors or laser printer paper also generate static charges. Measuring ESD levels with a static meter will show problem areas and items.

4. Establish the Required Level of ESD Protection

Areas with high static generation may require special solutions, even when ESD-sensitive components are not handled directly. For instance, a plastic injection molding plant may have static levels high enough to require a wireless keyboard and mouse for each computer to prevent ESD damage from occurring through the I/O cables.

5. Develop an ESD Control Plan

The ESD Control Program Plan should include the tasks, activities and procedures necessary to adequately protect sensitive components and systems. Prepare written procedures and specifications that clearly communicate roles and responsibilities. The plan must include guidelines for personnel training, verification that the plan is being followed, and a list of the technical requirements and ESD protective products approved for use in the program.

6. Implement ESD Protection Solutions

Protection methods include a combination of signage, grounding systems, and charge generation control. A well-protected area may be one in which grounding floor mats and work surface mats are installed, protected areas are marked with tape, and personnel wear wrist straps, heel straps and ESD protective clothing. See Figure 4 for additional static protection solutions and Figure 5 for common materials used in creating an ESD Control Area. Dry environments benefit from installation of ionization and humidification systems to reduce charge generation. ESD protection devices vary in capability, and the protective range should be checked against the sensitivity of the products being handled.

ESD protection is one part of designing reliable electronic systems. For OEMs, the components selected for the final system play an important role in overall reliability. VersaLogic’s rugged embedded computers are designed for critical applications where reliability and long-term availability are priorities.

Figure 4: ESD Causes and Solutions

ESD CausesESD Solutions
People
  • Grounded wrist straps
  • ESD-protective floor mats and finishes
  • Dissipative shoes or heel straps
  • ESD-protective coats
  • ESD-protective workstations and work surfaces
Carts and other wheeled equipment
  • Carts with drag chains or conductive casters or wheels
Production and test equipment
  • Grounding
Production aids (hand tools, soldering irons, tapes, adhesives)
  • Grounding — 3-prong grounded-type AC plug for electrical tools, grounding of work surfaces and personnel
  • ESD-protective labels
Material handling
  • ESD-protective packaging and material handling containers — preferably materials that are antistatic and provide discharge
Figure 5: Common Materials Used in Creating an ESD Control Area

ESD Control MaterialDescription
Wrist StrapConnected to a ground point, a wrist strap keeps the wearer at near-ground potential.
ESD-Protective Work SurfaceThe ESD-protective work surface is usually a conductive map, with fairly high resistance, that is connected to ground. Such a surface provides controlled dissipation of static charge built-up on any materials that come into contact with it.
ESD-Protective Floor SurfaceESD-protective floor surface is conductive flooring connected to ground. It provides a path of dissipation for charge built-up on personnel or equipment in contact with it.
Antistatic ChairAn antistatic chair is made with conductive components and fabric. It is designed to conduct any static charge off of the user’s body, into the grounded floor.
Foot StrapFoot straps are typically worn over a non-conductive item of footwear. The foot strap provides contact with an ESD-protective (conductive) floor and the user’s skin, in order to drain any static charge off of the wearer before it builds up.
Conductive ShoesConductive shoes are used in conjunction with an ESD-protective floor surface, such shoes provide electrical contact for dissipation of charge away from the wearer.
Antistatic SmockElectrostatic charge may build up on a person’s clothes, despite the fact that they are wearing a wrist strap. An antistatic smock should be used to prevent a charge from building up on the user’s clothing.
Air IonizationIonizers are used when it is not possible to properly ground everything and as backup to other static control methods. Using an ionizer, a charge built-up on insulated or isolated objects can be effectively neutralized as the opposite polarity charges are attracted from the air.

7. Build an ESD Team and Train Employees

Enroll employees from relevant areas of the company to be team members. Make it their program, and delegate the responsibility of auditing and maintenance to them. Quality management can then verify records and conduct periodic compliance audits. Delegating in this way not only minimizes the drain on management resources, but also allows the affected employees to take ownership of the process, thus increasing employee participation and compliance.

Train and retrain your personnel to instill a mindset that ESD awareness is a valuable ongoing effort that can mean the difference between the company’s profitability and loss. Make sure that the program is understandable, even to non-technical employees. No ESD program will be completely successful without the complete participation of all staff.

8. Maintain and Audit the ESD Control System

Protection of production floors, testing stations and other areas takes planning, education, maintenance, and testing. Ongoing maintenance and system audits are essential to ensure that ESD control programs remain effective. Many ESD devices lose effectiveness over time. Periodic cleaning keeps the equipment and devices working properly. Wrist straps, heel straps and other personal grounding devices require testing and occasional replacement. Periodic testing, either with static locators or grounding test equipment is needed to identify problems. A static charge meter can indicate the strength of the entire system. If an area is found to have minimal static charges, it is evidence of an effective system.

Audit your plan to verify that the ESD control system is successful. Technological changes will dictate improvements and modifications. Provide feedback to management and employees. Adjust company practices to keep the program on track. To ensure ongoing compliance invest in quarterly ESD audits.

Conclusion

By shedding light on the hidden costs of electrostatic discharge, OEMs can learn to address this problem head-on. Although not readily apparent, the many hidden costs related to ESD are a significant drain on the financial wellbeing of many companies. It is critical that OEMs that handle electronic components keep a close watch on this issue. Through the development of effective ESD control processes and programs, OEMs can improve manufacturing yields, reduce field failures, lower warranty costs, and improve product reliability.

ESD control is an important part of protecting sensitive electronics during manufacturing, testing, and handling. But reliability starts with the components you select for your system.

VersaLogic builds rugged embedded computers for critical applications, with industrial temperature support, long-term availability, and US-based technical support. Looking for rugged embedded computing solutions for a reliability-critical application? Explore VersaLogic’s embedded computers or reach out to our Embedded Applications Consultants about your requirements.

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