How to check ESD workstation grounding before electronics assembly

ESD checks are easy to treat like paperwork until a batch of boards starts failing for no obvious reason. In electronics assembly, I have seen people wear wrist straps all day without noticing the cord was bad, the bench mat snap was loose, or the heel strap tester had not been checked in weeks. The station looked compliant, but the protection was mostly hope. What worked better for us was…