Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, which can occur when modules and other field-replaceable units (FRUs) are improperly handled, results in intermittent or complete failures.

Modules consist of printed circuit boards that are fixed in metal carriers. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and connectors are integral components of the carrier. Although the metal carrier helps to protect the board from ESD, always use an ESD grounding strap when handling modules.

If you choose to use the disposable ESD wrist strap supplied with most FRUs or an ESD wrist strap equipped with an alligator clip, you must attach the system ground lug to the chassis in order to provide a proper grounding point for the ESD wrist strap.

Procedure

  1. Attach the ESD wrist strap to bare skin as follows:
    1. If you are using the ESD wrist strap supplied with the FRUs, open the wrist strap package and unwrap the ESD wrist strap. Place the black conductive loop over your wrist and tighten the strap so that it makes good contact with your bare skin.
    2. If you are using an ESD wrist strap equipped with an alligator clip, open the package and remove the ESD wrist strap. Locate the end of the wrist strap that attaches to your body and secure it to your bare skin.
  2. Grasp the spring or alligator clip on the ESD wrist strap and briefly touch the clip to a bare metal spot (unpainted surface) on a grounded rack. We recommend that you touch the clip to an unpainted rack rail so that any built-up static charge is safely dissipated to the entire rack.
  3. Attach either the spring clip or the alligator clip to an earth ground (grounded rack or the screw holding a grounding lug to the chassis):
    1. If you are using the ESD wrist strap that is supplied with the FRUs, squeeze the spring clip jaws open, position the spring clip to one side of the system ground lug screw head, and slide the spring clip over the lug screw head so that the spring clip jaws close behind the lug screw head.
    2. If you are using an ESD wrist strap that is equipped with an alligator clip, attach the alligator clip directly over the head of the system ground lug screw or to the system ground lug barrel.

Example

To attach the ESD wrist strap to the system ground lug screw for the TIBCO Enterprise Message Service Appliance, clip the grounding wire to the screw that attaches the grounding lug to the switch chassis.

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