# ESD Protected Area (EPA) Audit Checklist > Source: https://netray.co/tools/esd-protected-area-audit-checklist > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer Walk an electrostatic discharge protected area against a structured checklist covering grounding, personnel, flooring, handling, packaging and records. ## Category quality ## Industry Electronics Manufacturing ## Audience - Quality engineer - Production supervisor - Electronics buyer ## Tool **Kind:** checklist **Scoring Note:** Count every item as pass or fail during your walk. Any failed critical item should be corrected before more sensitive product is handled in that area, and the result should be recorded in your internal audit records. **Groups:** #### Program and documentation **Items:** **Text:** A written ESD control plan exists and names the standard it follows **Critical:** true An ESD coordinator is named and known to staff **Text:** The sensitivity level of the most sensitive products handled is documented **Critical:** true Protected areas are marked on a floor plan and with signs at entrances Audit and test records are retained for the period set in the plan Corrective actions from the last audit are closed or tracked #### Grounding and workstations **Items:** **Text:** Every ESD worksurface has a verified connection to the common ground point **Critical:** true Common point ground is connected to the equipment ground per the plan Worksurface resistance is tested at the documented interval and recorded **Text:** Non-essential insulators such as plastic cups and paper are removed from workstations **Critical:** true Necessary insulators are controlled by ionization or a documented method Ionizers are verified for balance and discharge time at the planned interval Soldering irons and tools are grounded #### Personnel grounding **Items:** **Text:** Wrist straps are worn at stations where operators are seated **Critical:** true Wrist straps are tested at the start of each shift or continuously monitored Footwear or heel grounders are tested before entering the EPA ESD smocks are worn and cleaned per the plan Operators are not wearing ungrounded jewelry or items that contact product Visitors are escorted and grounded or kept outside the EPA #### Flooring, equipment and environment **Items:** Dissipative flooring or mats resistance is measured and recorded Chairs and carts that enter the EPA are ESD rated and grounded Humidity is monitored and kept within the plan's range Pick-and-place and test equipment are grounded to the common point No uncontrolled personal electronics are on the work surface #### Handling, packaging and training **Items:** **Text:** Sensitive parts leave bags only inside the EPA **Critical:** true Moisture barrier and shielding bags are intact and not reused in damaged condition Totes, trays and reels carry static control markings Parts are handled by the body or edges, not by leads, where possible **Text:** Operators have recorded ESD training and refresher dates **Critical:** true Incoming parts are checked for intact ESD packaging at receiving Any suspected ESD damage has a defined reporting and containment path ## Content **Intro:** ESD damage is often latent: a part passes test and fails later in the field. This checklist walks an electrostatic discharge protected area through the controls that ANSI/ESD S20.20 style programs expect, so a supervisor or auditor can spot gaps before they cost a build. **Sections:** #### How to use the checklist **Body:** Print or export the checklist and walk the protected area with the plan in hand. Mark each item as pass or fail, and note the station or area. Failed critical items, such as an operator without a verified wrist strap or an unidentified sensitivity level, should stop work on sensitive product until fixed. Keep the signed checklist with your internal audit records. **Bullets:** - Audit unannounced and across all shifts - Test, do not just look: use the approved tester - Record the date, auditor and area on the output #### What the standard structure covers **Body:** S20.20 style programs rest on a plan, grounding of conductors including people, control or removal of insulators, protective packaging and handling, and training. Compliance is demonstrated through documented tests with defined limits. The standard describes the structure, and your own plan sets the intervals and limits, so this checklist asks whether you follow your plan rather than quoting numeric limits. #### Buyer and receiving view **Body:** ESD protection starts before your floor. Buyers should specify static control packaging for sensitive parts in purchase orders and check that suppliers and brokers ship in intact, labeled packaging. At receiving, a torn shielding bag or an open moisture barrier bag is a reason to hold the lot. Record these holds in your ERP so the supplier's performance reflects them. #### Common mistakes **Body:** Typical failures are wrist straps tested once per week instead of at shift start, personal items such as cups on benches, worksurface grounds that have come loose, and carts rolling in from outside the area. Audits that check paperwork only will miss these. Walk the floor, use the tester, and check the training records for new hires and temporary staff. **Cta:** If audit results, training records and supplier packaging holds sit in separate files, we can build a private agent over your ERP and quality records to show open ESD actions in one place. **Faq:** #### Does this checklist certify my facility? **Answer:** No. It is a self-audit aid. Certification or third-party verification is done by an accredited body against the full standard and your documented plan. #### How often should wrist straps be tested? **Answer:** Follow your own ESD control plan, which is commonly at the start of each shift for daily wear or continuously with a monitor. The right interval depends on product sensitivity and risk. #### What counts as a critical item? **Answer:** A critical item is a control that, if absent, can damage sensitive product immediately, such as ungrounded operators or unknown part sensitivity. Failures here should stop work on that product until corrected. #### Do buyers need to care about ESD controls? **Answer:** Yes. Buyers set packaging requirements and choose suppliers whose handling matches the parts. Poor packaging at purchase is difficult to fix once parts arrive at your dock. ## Search terms esd audit checklist, esd protected area checklist, ansi esd s20.20 checklist, epa audit form, esd wrist strap test log, esd control program audit, esd workstation checklist, esd compliance checklist --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json