Wrist Earth Strap
What is a Wrist Earth Strap (Wrist Strap Grounder)?
A Wrist Earth Strap, is a safety device used to prevent the buildup of static electricity on a person’s body. It consists of a wristband made from conductive material connected to a grounding wire that attaches to a grounded surface, such as an ESD mat or grounding point.
Why Do You Need to Use a Wrist Earth Strap?
Protect Sensitive Electronics:
Static electricity can easily damage or destroy delicate electronic components (like microchips, PCBs, or memory cards). Even a small shock of 30 volts (often undetectable by humans) can harm electronics—yet humans can carry thousands of volts of static without noticing.
Discharge Static Safely:
The strap ensures that static charge on your body is safely discharged to the ground, preventing accidental electrostatic discharge (ESD) when handling electronics.
Maintain a Zero-Potential Environment:
Helps to keep your body at the same electrical potential as the devices you’re working on, preventing sudden voltage differences.
ESD-Safe Workplaces Require It:
In many electronics manufacturing, repair, and assembly environments, wearing a wrist strap is required by industry standards (such as ANSI/ESD S20.20 or IEC 61340).
How to Use a Wrist Earth Strap
Put on the wristband so it touches your bare skin snugly (typically around the wrist).
Connect the cord to the wrist strap.
Clip or plug the other end of the cord to a grounding point (ESD mat, grounded socket, or wrist strap tester).
Make sure your grounding system is working properly (many workplaces use wrist strap testers daily).