Personal Grounding Testers! How to Trick Them and How to Fight Back!
Performing a personal grounding test is one of the fundamental requirements of ANSI/ESD S20.20 and IEC 61340-5-1 before entering an EPA (Electrostatic Protected Area). It is a crucial part of ESD procedures, ensuring that grounding elements function properly and that workers do not accumulate electrostatic charges that could damage sensitive components (ESDS).
However, in practice, employees often attempt to bypass these systems—both the built-in features of grounding testers and the systemic solutions implemented by the organization. Human ingenuity knows no bounds, and the methods used to trick testers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Below, I will present some real-world cases I have encountered and the strategies to eliminate these deceptive practices.
The "Short Circuit" Method
a) Shorting the Footwear Testing Electrode
Employees can achieve a passing test result by bridging both electrodes on the tester plate with their footwear, simulating proper grounding functionality.
Prevention Methods:
Using a separator between the electrodes to prevent short-circuiting.
Implementing dedicated solutions offered by tester manufacturers or introducing custom modifications.
b) Shorting the Wrist Strap Electrodes
Another way to trick the tester is by manually shorting the tester’s electrode with the wrist strap socket. This allows the employee to bypass the actual testing of the wrist strap and cord.
Prevention Methods:
Extending the wrist strap socket cable.
Blocking unused tester sockets.
Implementing additional safeguards requiring actual wrist strap connection to the tester.
Testing Without ESD Footwear (Barefoot or in Socks)
Footwear testing is a common issue, especially in companies using low-quality ESD footwear or during winter months when lower humidity increases sole resistance.
To pass the test, employees may remove their shoes and perform the test in socks or barefoot. Not all testers have built-in lower resistance limits, allowing this method to bypass security measures.
Prevention Methods:
Adjusting tester resistance limits to realistic values based on the footwear used (if supported by the tester).
Analyzing employee test results to detect anomalies (order test analysis from EOS/ESD GS).
Implementing an automated alert system for tester tampering attempts.
Testing by Another Employee
One of the hardest frauds to detect is when an employee takes the test on behalf of a colleague. Even if testers use employee identification cards, workers can swap cards to bypass the test. Similarly, biometric methods such as fingerprint readers can be misused by allowing another person to provide their fingerprint.
Prevention Methods:
Increasing employee awareness.
Implementing video monitoring and AI-based analysis of the testing process.
Enhancing access control procedures to EPA zones.
Using more advanced employee identification methods.
Currently, no solution fully eliminates this issue, but advancements in technology, including image analysis and AI, may help mitigate it in the future.
Conclusion
If your organization is facing similar challenges and is looking for cost-effective solutions, contact us. We can help select the right technologies and methods to eliminate dishonest practices, ensuring full compliance with ESD standards and improving the effectiveness of your electrostatic discharge protection system.
updated: 2025-04