We don't allow company or personal decorations within controlled areas but
place them in common areas, aisles, lunchroom and such.  If you place
decorations within a controlled area run them by your ESD coordinator for
approval first.  Unfortunately then you run the risk of someone adding
unapproved items and it gets hard to control.  Balloons are a definite
no-no, especially the yellow ones.   Yeah, I'm kidding too.  Anyway, you are
justifiably concerned where balloons are concerned.  Just imagine one
picking up a charge by rubbing in the breeze and then coming loose and
dropping on anything sensitive to ESD.  Treat a decoration like any other
static generating item (plastic bags, containers, foam cups, etc.) and keep
it isolated by your shop's standards (1 meter?). I don't want to be a party
pooper either but the job goes on and who get blamed for a rash of ESD/EOS
events?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matthew Lamkin [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 1999 8:22 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      [TN] Christmas decorations?
>
> Now I don't want to be a party pooper, but as its almost Christmas the
> decorations are going to be
> going up. And as we are always trying to improve our anti-static
> precautions it prompts me to ask.
>
> What sort of static field do balloons and other decorations have ?
>
> I know that they can create quite a voltage when rubbed on a jumper, but
> what about when cellotaped to
> a wall (and in a slight breeze) ?
>
> How far away from static sensitive devices should they be kept?
> Do they generate a field around them & how far can it extend?
>
> Do red balloons have a higher static charge than blue ones? (only
> kidding!!).
>
> What do you reckon eh?
>
> TIA - Matt.
>
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