There are numerous Ground Monitoring Devices available on the market, for the purpose of monitoring Grounding on Automated Handler Equipment (AHE). Monitoring Non-moving parts at 1 ohm and 10 ohms. Can I install these Ground Monitoring devices to Shelving and racks in the EPA? To monitor them at 1 ohms since these Shelving and racks are not moveable. And since grounding is being monitored in real time (24/7), can I eliminate the need to do conduct Periodic compliance on these racks and shelves as stated in TR53?
ANSI/ESD S20.20 states “If the test methods or test limits used by the Organization differ from any of the test methods referenced in Tables 2, 3, or 4 of this standard, a tailoring statement shall be developed and documented as part of the ESD control program plan. This shall include the technical rationale for the deviation from the test method or test limit requirement.”
Based on this, I think it would be possible to do as you are saying as long as you have a tailoring statement and list the technical rationale in your ESD Control Program Plan. Some things to keep in mind are that the existing compliance verification requirement in Table 3 are a point to ground resistance less than 10^9 ohms. ESD TR53 shows that all shelves are to be tested. So if your ground monitoring devices are measuring the resistance of each shelf to ground and they are less than 10^9 ohms, you should be fine.
I am not sure you can eliminate the resistance to ground measurment of the surface. The grounding devices monitor the connection to ground but does not monitor the worksurface. The worksurface can fail and the grounding monitor will still show that a ground connection still exsists. If the surface was a wire rack then the monitoring may be good enough but if it is a mat or something similar then a compliance measurement is required.
I too endorse the opinion of JK Sir in addition to the opinion of Andy Sir.
ie; “The grounding devices monitor the connection to ground but does not monitor the work surface. The work surface can fail and the grounding monitor will still show that a ground connection still exists. If the surface was a wire rack then the monitoring may be good enough but if it is a mat or something similar then a compliance measurement is required.”
Surely ; the monitors just confirm the grounding connection to ensure that the total system is well within the threshold resistance as most of the monitors are preset to display Pass or Fail of the system within or beyond the threshold system resistance. Normally, in every facility most of the racks /shelves even trolley tops are covered by ESD safe mat or a laminate which becomes a work surface when the surface is used to either store or work with any device and thus its CV per standard procedure and test method shall become mandatory.
Grounding connection compliance and compliance of the item (work surface etc) used for a specific application are two different parameters per the Global standards. As Mr. JK Sir has pointed out in the first sentence ( “The grounding devices monitor the connection to ground but does not monitor the work surface.”) is true as I have seen here in India a few such cases during the CV audits ( especially with ESD safe hard laminate tops ).