How does an ESD audit work?

An ESD audit is a systematic check of the measures put in place to protect electronics from electrostatic discharge. Its goal is to determine whether the protection actually works in practice.

What is an ESD audit?

A check of whether the organisation meets the requirements of its ESD program and ČSN EN 61340-5-1. Internal audits are carried out by the company own staff, external ones by an independent specialist.

Why is an audit important?

Even a well-designed EPA workstation can stop working over time – through wear, damaged cables, process changes or lack of discipline. The audit reveals such weaknesses.

What does the auditor check?

Documentation

Guidelines, procedures, responsibilities, the measurement plan and training records. A common problem: the documentation does not match practice.

EPA area

Zone marking, condition of benches, grounding points and storage. A frequent mistake is unsuitable plastic items inside the EPA.

Grounding of staff

ESD wrist straps, ESD shoes, grounding cables and monitoring systems.

Surfaces, floors and storage

Surface and ground resistance of mats and floors; the containers and shielding bags in use.

What measurements are taken?

Measuring instruments check resistances and grounding paths. The article how ESD testers work explains how.

Result and corrective actions

The audit ends with a report: identified deviations, deadlines and people responsible for fixing them. Following up on implementation is essential.

Conclusion

Regular audits keep ESD protection effective over time. The foundation is laid by how to set up an ESD program; more topics in the ESD Guide.