Describes a common and reproducible basis for evaluating the performance of electrical and electronic equipment when subjected to electrostatic discharges.

IEC 61000-4-2:2008 relates to the immunity requirements and test methods for electrical and electronic equipment subjected to static electricity discharges, from operators directly, and from personnel to adjacent objects. It additionally defines ranges of test levels which relate to different environmental and installation conditions and establishes test procedures. The object of IEC 61000-4-2:2008 is to establish a common and reproducible basis for evaluating the performance of electrical and electronic equipment when subjected to electrostatic discharges. In addition, it includes electrostatic discharges which may occur frompersonnel to objects near vital equipment. IEC 61000-4-2:2008 defines typical waveform of the discharge current, range of test levels, test equipment, test setup, test procedure, calibration procedure and measurement uncertainty. IEC 61000-4-2:2008 gives specifications for test performed in \'laboratories\' and \'post-installation tests\' performed on equipment in the final installation. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1995, its amendment 1 (1998) and its amendment 2 (2000) and constitutes a technical revision. It has the status of a basic EMC publication in accordance with IEC Guide 107. The main changes with respect to the first edition of this standard and its amendments are the following:
- the specifications of the target have been extended up to 4 GHz. An example of target matching these requirements is also provided;
- information on radiated fields from human-metal discharge and from ESD generators is provided;
- measurement uncertainty considerations with examples of uncertainty budgets are given too.