Desco Europe ESD - Questions And Answers

Are wrist straps necessary if all other ESD precautions are taken (i.e., two ground [foot] straps, smocks, dissipative flooring, grounded mats, etc.)? If so, why? - Anonymous, Mountain View, CA

Wrist straps are not necessary if an operator is wearing two foot grounders on a conductive grounded floor and doesn't lift both heels/toes at the same time, like some people do when sitting down. If an operator is also wearing a smock, but is not electrically connecting the smock to either their body's skin or ground, then the smock is providing only partial protection. Charges on the smock may have no where to go or discharge to if the smock is not grounded. A popular way to ground the smock is with a coil cord either attached to a snap on the waist area of the smock or via a wrist strap snapped to the inside cuff of an ESD smock.

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