Based on this: ESD S20.20 8.1: …“An implementing process shall be selected from Table 1”.
Could you correct me if I’m wrong when selecting either one of the 3 (I guess I’m confused about TR53 same topic for non-monitored personnel wrist strap method).
When selecting Equipment Grounding Conductor: Measuring with a DC ohmmeter from an ESD grounding cord to the outlet ground - [Basically no auxiliary ground system exists].
When selecting Auxiliary Ground: This is when companies more grounding systems for the ESD program, we want to measure the difference between those 2 systems, same DC ohmmeter, from ground A to ground Auxiliary.
When selecting Equipotential bonding: ESD items vs ground [ohms] verification.
Can we do internally those initial verifications? any recommended template?
According to ESD we just need initial verification, is this correct?
I appreciate all details to fully understand this
I don’t have much experience with setting up a grounding/equipotential bonding system as all the places I have worked are in the US and the electrical code here is sufficient to cover this. If you are also in the US as your profile states, then as long as the facility you are at was set up per the electrical codes you should be fine. Most places would fall under the Equipment Grounding Conductor category although some places use an Auxiliary Ground. If you are working in a place where access to the Equipment Grounding Conductor or Auxiliary Ground is not possible (like an airplace, ship, middle of a large factory floor, etc.), you would use Equipotential Bonding and ensure any ESD control items are connected so that they are all < 10^9 ohms to each other.
This test only needs to be done once unless changes have occurred in the electrical grounding system.
The reason why the grouding system is only tested once is due to the fact that all other testing, worksurfaces, chairs, floors, mobil carts are all tested point to ground. In this case, the connection to ground is always being tested with the compliance verificaiton plan.
If that measurement fails, then you may have to test the ground connection to see where the failure occures.
I want to ask about this: if this facility (Within the US) was setup under electrical code… would we need a certificate or something anyhow? any recommendations how to comply with this requirement due to this current setup?
If it is set up per US electrical code you should be okay. In this case you would be using the Equipment Grounding Conductor as your grounding bonding system. The limit is < 1.0 ohm impedance unless there is a GFCI in which case the measurement is not required
How can we prove this? usually the auditor wants to see some certificate saying ANSI ESD S6.1, but more than that, what’s the real requirement and evidence of this? for a US facility under electrical code? Would it be the test method check? do you guys could recommend a template to execute this? (Or should it be executed by an external party?).
I’m not sure what is typically done by most companies, but I think you can do the impedance test yourself with a circuit tester and provide the result in the control plan. If you have the GFCIs you can state this in the control plan and that a measurement is not required. This should be sufficient. Thanks
In the US, when a building is complete, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. As part of that, grounding checks were suppose to be made. A building in the US cannot be occupied until this is done. While you may not find the certificate, the fact that the building is occupied is proof that it is done.