ESD audit to DIN EN IEC 61340-5-1
Your ESD protection under scrutiny – independently audited, with a clear action plan.
The standard demands that your ESD control programme is verified in practice – not just written down. Customer and certification audits check exactly that. An independent audit shows where you stand before someone else does.
What we examine on site
- EPA layout, marking & access – zones, signage, access rules for untrained persons
- Grounding – work surfaces, flooring, racks and trolleys
- Personnel grounding – wrist straps, footwear, garment systems
- Insulators & isolated conductors – at the workstation, against the 2025 requirements
- Packaging & storage – inside and outside the EPA
- Training & records – initial, refresher, proof of understanding
- Programme plan & documentation – compliance verification, test plan, responsibilities
- Measuring equipment – suitability and valid calibration records
Scoring
Every finding gets a number
An audit report that only says "deviation" helps nobody prioritise. We score every checkpoint on a scale from 0 to 4 – the same system we have used in customer audits for years. Two audits of the same site become directly comparable, and progress turns into a metric instead of a gut feeling.
| Score | Meaning | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Requirement fully met, evidence available | no action |
| 3 | Met, documentation incomplete | submit the evidence |
| 2 | Partially met, effectiveness limited | action with deadline |
| 1 | Requirement not met, no acute component risk | action short-term |
| 0 | Requirement not met, ESDS at immediate risk | immediate action |
The individual scores add up to a degree of fulfilment per area. It shows at a glance whether the weakness lies in the technology, the documentation or the training – three causes that need completely different actions.
Procedure
How your ESD audit runs
From first contact to the finished report – typically within a few weeks.
Preparation
We review your programme plan, layout and documentation in advance.
On-site walk-through
Audit of the EPA with spot-check measurements using calibrated equipment.
Report & debrief
Audit report with prioritised deviations and an action plan – discussed with you.
Implementation & re-audit
On request we support the fixes – or take on the ESD coordinator role.
Checklist
The audit checklist in detail
This is the checklist we work through in your EPA – point by point, each with its reference to the standard.
- EPA zones & marking
Are all areas where ESDS are handled defined, marked and delimited as EPA? Are access rules in place, and are untrained persons only allowed in accompanied? - Grounding infrastructure
Ground reference points, bonding and connections: is every work surface, every rack and every trolley grounded in a defined way? - Workstations
Work surface materials, wrist strap connection points, seating: does the equipment match the actual task – seated or standing? - Personnel grounding
Wrist strap systems, footwear, garment systems where used: available, tested, documented – and actually worn in daily practice? - Insulators at the workstation
Are non-essential insulators kept far enough from the ESDS? Are process-essential insulators assessed via the field at the ESDS location? - Isolated conductors
The new focus of the 2025 edition: metal parts without a ground connection are identified and assessed before they touch an ESDS. - Packaging & storage
Correct packaging classes inside and outside the EPA, proper marking, handling of incoming goods. - Handling & processes
Observation of real workflows: incoming goods, assembly, testing, shipping, rework – not just the paperwork. - Training & records
Initial training before first handling, recurring refreshers, proof of understanding, complete records. - Programme plan & instruments
Is the control programme plan current and actually lived? Are the measuring instruments suitable and calibrated?
From the field
What we find almost everywhere
After several hundred audits, the same six points keep coming back. Fixing them in advance saves most of the rework.
- Isolated conductors at the workstation
The classic: a metal component tray on a plastic mat, an ungrounded soldering-iron stand, a test adapter without a ground connection. Since the 2025 edition the isolated conductor is explicitly defined – a conductor counts as isolated when its resistance to ground is at least 1.0 × 10⁹ Ω. Before contact with an ESDS its potential difference must not exceed ± 35 V. - Test intervals in the plan, but no records
The control programme plan specifies quarterly checks, yet the latest report is fourteen months old. Formally that is the same deviation as having no plan at all. - Training without proof of understanding
A signature on the attendance list proves presence, not understanding. Clause 5.2.2 requires a method that verifies understanding – a written test, multiple choice or a documented technical talk. - Untrained persons in the EPA
Cleaning, maintenance, external technicians and visitors. The standard admits them only accompanied – and the escort carries the responsibility. - Shoe–floor combinations never qualified
The floor was measured, the shoes were measured – but never the system of both plus the person. For standing work, system resistance and body voltage must both be met; one of the two alone is not enough. - Programme still follows the 2017 edition
Understandable – but the transition period ends on 25 June 2027. After that, a control programme built on it is no longer compliant.
Organisation
What an audit costs – in time and effort
The scope depends on the size of the EPA and on whether only the floor or also the management system is audited. As orientation:
- A single line or test area
One auditor, one day on site, report within two weeks. - A complete production with several EPA areas
One to two days on site, depending on the number of measuring points. - Multi-site programme
One audit block per site, plus an overarching report that makes the sites comparable.
So the time on site goes into auditing rather than searching for documents, we need in advance: the control programme plan, the EPA layout plan, the latest measurement reports, the training records, the calibration certificates of the measuring equipment in use, and the list of ESD owners. If something is missing, that is no obstacle – it simply becomes an audit finding itself.
You receive a fixed-price quote in advance – usually within 24 hours on business days. No hidden items: preparation, the on-site day, the report and the debrief are included.
Audit types
The right audit for your situation
Scope depends on the size of your EPA – from one day for a single line to multi-site programmes.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How often does an ESD audit have to be carried out?
The standard does not prescribe a fixed number; it requires the audit frequency to be defined in the control programme plan and then kept. In practice one internal audit per year has become established, complemented by an external audit every two to three years. Suppliers to automotive or medical production are usually audited more often – there the customer requirements set the pace.
What is the difference between an internal and an external ESD audit?
The internal audit is performed by your own ESD coordinator; it is part of the control programme and mandatory. The external audit brings an independent view from outside – and regularly uncovers exactly the points that have become habit internally over the years. For customer and certification audits, the external evidence counts for considerably more.
How long does an ESD audit take?
A single line is audited in one day. A complete production with several EPA areas needs one to two days on site. The report usually follows within two weeks of the walk-through.
How much does an ESD audit cost?
That depends on the size of your EPA, the number of workstations and the number of sites. After a short preliminary call you receive a fixed-price quote, usually within 24 hours on business days. Preparation, the on-site day, the report and the debrief are included.
What does the audit report contain?
Every checkpoint with its score from 0 to 4, the findings with photo and location, the readings of the spot-check measurements against their limits, a deviation list sorted by urgency, and a concrete recommended action for every finding. The report is structured so you can hand it to a customer auditor unchanged.
We have been working to the 2017 edition. What does that mean for us?
The transition period runs until 25 June 2027. By then your control programme must be converted to DIN EN IEC 61340-5-1:2025-06. The GAP analysis exists for exactly this case: it examines only the deviations between your current programme and the new edition – considerably faster than a full audit.
Do we have to stop production for an audit?
No. We audit during normal operation, because that is exactly where you can see whether the measures work. Only individual measurements – for example on work surfaces or ionizers – briefly need a free workstation. We coordinate that with production management in advance.
What happens with the findings after the audit?
You receive the action plan and implement it yourself – or we support the corrections. On request we verify only the open points in a re-audit, which is considerably cheaper than a second full audit. If you want to hand over the follow-up permanently, you can transfer the ESD coordinator role to us.