One Bench, Five Decisions
Grounding the bench without guesswork
A packing station in an EPA is essentially a grounded worktop plus a way for people to equalise with it. The worktop mat connects through a grounding cord to a common ground point; the wrist strap connects to the same point, not to a separate earth path of its own. Operators should be able to clip on before touching product, and the strap placement should not force them to reach across the work area to do it.
Keep the bench surface clear of insulative clutter. Foam offcuts, paper pads and plastic trays that are not part of the ESD plan quietly undo the worktop. If a bin or tray sits on the bench, it should be a dissipative item that belongs there.
Where the ionizer goes, and what the auditor reads
When process-essential insulators are unavoidable — stretch film, labels, certain foams — an ionizer covering the work zone helps neutralise charges. Position it so the airflow covers the area where product is handled, and keep the maintenance log current; an unbalanced or dusty ionizer is a common audit finding.
Paperwork-wise, an auditor typically asks for the bench resistance records, wrist strap daily test logs, and the documented list of process-essential insulators with their justification. A one-page station map showing the common ground point, mat, strap and ionizer positions makes all of it easier to verify.
FAQ
Where should the wrist strap ground cord connect?
To the same common ground point as the worktop mat, so the operator and the bench equalise through one reference rather than two separate earth paths.
Why keep paper and plastic off an ESD bench?
Insulative clutter — paper, ordinary plastic trays, foam offcuts — holds charge right where product is handled and defeats the grounded worktop.
When does a packing station need an ionizer?
When process-essential insulators such as stretch film or labels must stay in the work zone and cannot be removed. The airflow should cover the handling area.
What records does an ESD packing station audit need?
Typically bench and mat resistance records, daily wrist strap test logs, the ionizer maintenance log, and the documented list of process-essential insulators.
All figures above refer to standard product data sheets; final confirmation is subject to written quotation.