Implementing and Certifying an ESD Control Program

The difficult tasks of implementing and certifying an ESD control program have been made more straightforward and more consistent, thanks to ANSI/ESD S20.20.

Q. How can an ESD program be included as part of a facility's ISO 9000 certification audit?

A. Programs developed using ANSI/ ESD S20.20-1999, "Development of an Electrostatic Discharge Control Program," can be audited under a new program introduced by the ESD Association that allows companies to be certified to ANSI/ESD S20.20. The program is similar to ISO 9000, with certified registrars independently assessing a company's ESD control program and issuing a formal S20.20 certification.

The ESD Association is responsible for developing the program requirements, registrar training, and registrar witness audits. It is the registrars who perform on-site audits and grant certification. This independent assessment of a company's ESD control program can be performed as part of the company's ISO 9000 audit or as a separate audit.

Although ESD programs have been part of some ISO 9000 audits in the past, the assessment has frequently been cursory, and actual judgment of the program has been left to the individual auditor. However, the S20.20 program provides a formal and consistent process that should remove auditor bias. It provides a single program that can be used by OEMs, suppliers, and contractors.

The S20.20 program covers the requirements necessary to design, establish, implement, and maintain an ISO 9000–auditable ESD control program to protect electrical or electronic parts, assemblies, and equipment susceptible to ESD damage from human-body model (HBM) discharges greater than or equal to 100 V.

Looking Ahead

In the next issue, ESD Help Desk will explore the history and origins of ANSI/ESD S20.20, as well as guidance on how to meet the new standard. A new handbook for implementing a control program that meets the standard will also be discussed.

To submit your questions to the ESD Help Desk or to browse the archives of past questions and answers, go to http://www.ce-mag.com/esdhelp.html. Information on the ESD Association and ANSI/ESD S20.20, including a downloadable copy of the standard, may be found at http://www.esda.org.

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