electrostatic discharge (esd) damage, which can occur when electronic cards or components are improperly handled, results in complete or intermittent failures.port adapters and processor modules consist of printed circuit boards that are fixed in metal carriers. electromagnetic interference (emi) shielding and connectors are integral components of the carrier. although the metal carrier helps to protect the board from esd, use a preventive antistatic strap during handling.

    following are guidelines for preventing esd damage:

    1 always use an esd wrist or ankle strap and ensure that it makes good skin contact.

    2 connect the equipment end of the strap to an unfinished chassis surface.

    3 when installing a component, use any available ejector levers or captive installation screws toproperly seat the bus connectors in the backplane or midplane. these devices prevent accidentalremoval, provide proper grounding for the system, and help to ensure that bus connectors areproperly seated.

    4 when removing a component, use any available ejector levers or captive installation screws to release the bus connectors from the backplane or midplane.

    5 handle carriers by available handles or edges only; avoid touching the printed circuit boards or connectors.

    6 place a removed component board-side-up on an antistatic surface or in a static shielding container. if you plan to return the component to the factory, immediately place it in a static shielding container.

    7 avoid contact between the printed circuit boards and clothing. the wrist strap only protects components from esd voltages on the body; esd voltages on clothing can still cause damage.

    8 never attempt to remove the printed circuit board from the metal carrier.

    for safety, periodically check the resistance value of the antistatic strap. the measurement should be between 1 and 10 megohm (mohm).