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*Published in Accordance with
E1A standard 471
Appendix A
Net Safety Monitoring Inc.
Electrostatic Sensitive Device Handling
Procedure
With the trend toward increasingly widespread use of microprocessors and a wide variety of other
electrostatic sensitive semiconductor devices, the need for careful handling of equipment containing these
devices deserves more attention than it has received in the past.
Electrostatic damage can occur in several ways. The most familiar is by physical contact. Touching an object
causes a discharge of electrostatic energy that has built up on the skin. If the charge is of sufficient magnitude,
a spark will also be visible. This voltage is often more than enough to damage some electronic components.
Some devices can be damaged without any physical contact. Exposure to an electric field can cause damage if
the electric field exceeds the dielectric breakdown voltage of the capacitive elements within the device.
In some cases, permanent damage is instantaneous and an immediate malfunction is realized. Often, however,
the symptoms are not immediately observed. Performance may be marginal or even seemingly normal for an
indefinite period of time, followed by a sudden and mysterious failure.
Damage caused by electrostatic discharge can be virtually eliminated if the equipment is handled only in a
static safeguarded work area and if it is transported in a package or container that will render the necessary
protection against static electricity. Net Safety Monitoring Inc. modules that might be damaged by static
electricity are carefully wrapped in a static protective material before being packaged. Foam packaging blocks
are also treated with an anti-static agent. If it should ever become necessary to return the module, it is highly
recommended that it be carefully packaged in the original carton and static protective wrapping.
Since a static safeguarded work area is usually impractical in most field installations, caution should be
exercised to handle the module by its metal shields, taking care not to touch electronic components or
terminals.
In general, always exercise all of the accepted and proven precautions that are normally observed when
handling electrostatic sensitive devices.
A warning label is placed on the packaging, identifying those units that use electrostatic sensitive
semiconductor devices.