To help organizations better prevent electrostatic discharge, a technical report, ESD TR20.20-2025: Handbook for the Development of an Electrostatic Discharge Control Program for the Protection of Electronic Parts, Assemblies, and Equipment, has been revised.
Electrostatic Discharge and ESDA
Static electricity and the resulting electrostatic discharge (ESD) have never been uncommon occurrences, simply resulting from the contact and separation of two materials. In fact, ESD is very often harmless, like when you walk across a carpeted floor and feel a slight spark after touching a metal doorknob. But in the electronic age, with a sure need for activities that manufacture, process, assemble, install, package, label, service, test, inspect, transport or otherwise handle electrical or electronic parts, assemblies and equipment, electrostatic discharge from human skin and other surfaces can be detrimental to important materials.
Electrostatic discharge and the methods for its prevention is the primary concern of ANSI accredited standards developing organization the Electrostatic Discharge Association (ESDA), which has published a collection of standard documents that give compliant users the capability to prevent an ESD event. One common means of mitigating the effects of electrostatic discharge is the use of grounding wrist straps for the personnel in contact with the ESD sensitive equipment so that any electrostatic discharge coming from them is directed away from the sensitive electronic material. These devices are specified in the American National Standard ANSI/ESD S1.1-2021. You can learn more about this standard in our blog post ANSI/ESD S1.1-2021: Standard for Wrist Straps.
Additional standards developed and published by ESDA deal with protecting ESD-susceptible items, preventing electrostatic discharge, and air ionization systems, among other topics.
What Is ESD TR20.20-2025?
The ESD TR20.20-2025 Handbook acts as a supplement to ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 – Protection of Electrical and Electronic Parts, Assemblies and Equipment (Excluding Electrically Initiated Explosive Devices). The ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 standard is intended to provide technical requirements for implementing and maintaining an ESD control program.
Such a program applies to any activities involving electronic parts or equipment that might be susceptible to electrostatic discharge greater than or equal to 100 volts HBM, 200 volts CDM, and 35 volts on isolated conductors. The recommendations in this standard call for the user to utilize sufficient training, equipment, and practices to assure that little to no damage will come to the ESD susceptible products.
You can learn more about the S20.20 standard in our post ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021: Protection of Electrical and Electronic Parts.
ESD TR20.20-2025, as technical report that serves as a companion to the standard, helps the user meet the guidelines for an ESD control program by extensively detailing the subject of electrostatic discharge and the methods to control it. This report walks the reader through concerns that could arise with electrostatic discharge. It even devotes a lengthy chunk of the document to discussing the background of ESD, and not just the science behind it, but also the history of electrostatic discharge and the practice of mitigating it.
ESD TR20.20-2025 helps give the reader an incredibly strong understanding on why electrostatic discharge might occur in particular situations. This would thus allow him or her to conduct an advanced ESD control plan, with well-trained personnel and a verification process suitable enough to guarantee the minimal risk for an ESD to occur over time.
While clarifying almost everything related to electrostatic discharge, this document should act as a resource for any challenges that the user might come across, providing the knowledge necessary for conducting their appropriate solutions.
ESD TR20.20-2025 is a complete rewrite of the 2016 edition of the same technical report.
ESD TR20.20-2025: Handbook for the Development of an Electrostatic Discharge Control Program for the Protection of Electronic Parts, Assemblies, and Equipment is available on the ANSI Webstore.
Questions About ESD TR20.20?
ESD TR20.20 is developed and published by the Electrostatic Discharge Association (ESDA).
Please direct any technical questions relating to this technical report to the developer. You can find the contact information for all standard developing organizations (SDOs) here: Who to Contact for Standards Related Questions.