Removal and Replacement Preliminaries

4.7 Grounding Equipment and Methods

Grounding equipment must include either a wrist strap or a foot strap at a grounded workstation.

■When seated, wear a wrist strap connected to a grounded system. Wrist straps are flexible straps with a minimum of one megohm ±10% resistance in the grounding cords. To provide proper grounding, wear a strap snugly against the skin at all times. On grounded mats with banana-plug connectors, connect a wrist strap with alligator clips.

■When standing, use foot straps and a grounded floor mat. Foot straps (heel, toe, or boot straps) can be used at standing workstations and are compatible with most types of shoes or boots. On conductive floors or dissipative floor mats, use foot straps on both feet with a minimum of one-megohm resistance between the operator and ground. To be effective, the conductive strips must be worn in contact with the skin.

Other grounding equipment recommended for use in preventing electrostatic damage includes:

■Antistatic tape

■Antistatic smocks, aprons, and sleeve protectors

■Conductive bins and other assembly or soldering aids

■Nonconductive foam

■Conductive tabletop workstations with grounding cords of one-megohm resistance

■Static-dissipative tables or floor mats with hard ties to the ground

■Field service kits

■Static awareness labels

■Material-handling packages

■Nonconductive plastic bags, tubes, or boxes

■Metal tote boxes

■Electrostatic voltage levels and protective materials

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Maintenance and Service Guide