In which of the following circumstances should a technician ensure that he or she is grounded to minimize ESD?

Question

Options

• AThe technician is conducting a current test on a device.
• BThe technician is working on a device that is plugged in to AC power.
• CThe technician is cleaning the display on a device after reassembly.
• DThe technician is replacing a circuit board inside a device.

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  2% (1)
• D
  95% (39)

Explanation

Replacing a circuit board (D) directly exposes sensitive electronic components to electrostatic discharge, which can silently damage or destroy chips and circuitry - making ESD grounding via an antistatic wrist strap or mat essential before touching internal components.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A - Conducting a current test means the device is already powered; grounding yourself to the device creates a shock hazard, not an ESD concern.
• B - Working on a device plugged into AC power is simply dangerous - you should unplug it first, and ESD grounding is irrelevant while live voltage is present.
• C - Cleaning an external display after reassembly is a surface-level task with no exposure to sensitive internal components, so ESD risk is negligible.

Memory tip: Think "bare board = bare hands are bad." Any time you can see circuit board traces or chips, you need to be grounded. If the device is closed or powered, a different safety rule takes priority (shock risk or no risk at all).

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