What are you using to reduce and prevent static when working on kit and projects?

I have not used ionizers for ESD. Would I use one? Maybe occasionally when I perceive a high risk situation, which would not be often.

But then, according to the ESD police I don't take nearly enough ESD precautions.

What I do:

• I always wear all cotton clothing - because it has neutral triboelectric properties
• I handle electronics without touching the chips whenever possible
• I discharge myself to ground sometimes - when I think I should (this is an experience thing)

This system works well enough for me.

It is actually a bit of a standing joke around my house that as soon as I get home, I change from my "dress" clothing to my all cotton "uniform". Although this is partly because I am mildly allergic to synthetic fabrics.

Hehe anything with a fan in it to cool a place down would be extremely welcome right now.

Interesting devices! I've never used one of these, but it sounds like something worth trying. Should be easy to see the effects of it, various science-experiments can indicate presence or absence of static charges. 

I always use a wrist-strap (except the times I forget to plug it in if I temporarily detatch!), plus have a grounded mat, so not a whole lot of effort currently. My soldering iron has a grounded ring that is easy to touch as well.

Same as Doug, I try not to touch parts when not in-circuit. ESD tweezers help with that! They have possibly saved hundreds of components from damage. Especially MOSFETs; it's standard practice for me to solder them in plus a resistor to help protect them a little bit at least, without touching any of the connections.

Also, I try to solder resistors first, and then semiconductors, so that the board is as ready as possible to try to reduce damage.

I've used grounded mats and wrist bands before, no so much now as my lab is fairly humid.  I've never used an ion fan.

Scott

I just touch something grounded before opening package. Otherwise I mostly ignore precautions.

I used to take no precautions at all, and don't ever recall being bitten by it. Touching grounded metal was advice freely given back in the days, but I feel like this isn't sufficient (perhaps bordering on myth in terms of its effectiveness).

But nowadays, I have anti-static mats and wrist straps, so I can keep myself "grounded" at all times, and I've tried to make sure I use them at all times regardless just to form the habit.

I've heard of ionisers being used for this application, but I've never seen them in action anywhere I've worked. Perhaps we never needed that level of coverage or protection.

- Gough

Like others here, I use an anti-static, grounded mat with wrist strap.  I’m pretty good at remembering to use it as well.

In the repair lab where we repaired point-of-sale terminals, there were ionizers and an ongoing debate about the health problems associated with ozone emissions. So, depending on who was in the lab, the ionizers could be on or off. This always reminded me of my personal hell - sharing a windowless basement with 70 journalists smoking for four years. The "solution" they offered? Install ionizers everywhere.

I use an antistatic mat. Good for protecting the bench as well and easy to clean.

I wonder how the ioniser fan gets on competing with a fume extractor  - the fume extractor isn't that good at moving the visible smoke away (needs to be much closer than I had expected).

But I mainly use it when soldering a lot of pins - like on connectors  - with flux cored solder - so not much static problem then anyway.

I've never had any part fail due to static damage (that I'm aware of) although I have killed things while testing with an 8kV spark gun.

MK

At a workplace, we hired a lab manager; he was great but highly over-zealous. One of his first moves was to ban everyone from the lab : ) until we took his ESD and lab tests. We all lost badge access!

I resisted for ages, sending anyone but myself to the lab, and even keeping a mini-lab under my desk, but after about 6 months, I gave in and did the test. It helps to have people like that around. The lab was spectacularly well-managed while he was running it.

I have a very good antistatic math (won in a design competition run by an e14 competitor :) ).
I have these from the e14 store, to ground that mat:

I don't use straps at home, although I know they are needed. If I'd do work in a lab, I'd definitely use all required ESD measures.
At home, I assess my own risks and act accordingly.