In ESD control, where should the resistance in the benchtop ground cable be located?

In ESD control, where should the resistance in the benchtop ground cable be located?

• A. Top
• B. Bottom
• C. Side
• D. Behind

Answer: (A)

In ESD control, you want a grounding path that safely limits the current that could pass through the operator during a discharge. Placing the resistance in the benchtop ground cable near the operator—right at the top of the bench—puts the current-limiting element in the exact path from the person (via the wrist strap or mat contact) to earth. This positioning ensures that any discharge flowing through the worker is slowed by the resistor before it can reach the body, reducing risk and helping maintain a controlled, predictable potential at the user’s touch points. If the resistance were located lower down, to the side, or behind, it wouldn’t be in the same part of the path the operator’s body takes, making the current limiting less effective and harder to guarantee during use.

In ESD control, you want a grounding path that safely limits the current that could pass through the operator during a discharge. Placing the resistance in the benchtop ground cable near the operator—right at the top of the bench—puts the current-limiting element in the exact path from the person (via the wrist strap or mat contact) to earth. This positioning ensures that any discharge flowing through the worker is slowed by the resistor before it can reach the body, reducing risk and helping maintain a controlled, predictable potential at the user’s touch points. If the resistance were located lower down, to the side, or behind, it wouldn’t be in the same part of the path the operator’s body takes, making the current limiting less effective and harder to guarantee during use.