What is the proper use of an anti-static wrist strap?

The proper use of an anti-static wrist strap is to ensure that it makes direct contact with the skin. This is crucial for providing a path for any static electricity that may have built up on your body to discharge safely before you handle sensitive electronic components, such as computer hardware. Wearing the strap directly against the skin helps to equalize any static charge between the person and the components, significantly reducing the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD) that can damage delicate parts like motherboards, video cards, and RAM.

In contrast, wearing the strap over clothing can inhibit its effectiveness because the fabric can create resistance and prevent the strap from grounding properly. While it's understandable that some might think that the strap does not need to be worn at all during assembly, doing so would increase the risk of ESD damage. Additionally, wearing the strap loosely wouldn't provide an effective connection to ground, thereby failing to serve its intended purpose of protecting sensitive electronic components from static electricity.