ESD Systems - Questions And Answers

Can finger cots take the place of wrist straps and/or heel straps? -Anonymous, John Bean Company, Conway, Arkansas

No, finger cots cannot take the place of wrist straps or heel straps. The wrist or heel strap actually grounds the body, the finger cot does not. What the finger cots are good for: - decrease slip resistance - consistent resistance at the contact interface - minimizing problems from CDM. It is possible to touch a charged object which is a real concern when it relates to ESD Sensitive devices and grounded operators. This is due to the fact that the Charge Device Model (CDM) is commonly left out of a good ESD control program (in favor of the Human Body Model (HBM)). When it comes to "Charged Devices", the wearing of a grounded wrist strap does not ensure the complete safety of an ESD Sensitive device. Whether you are wearing a wrist strap or not, a discharge can still occur. Increasing the contact resistance is the only way to control the speed of the discharge. One way to accomplish this is by wearing Static Dissipative Gloves or Finger Cots.

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