Some ppl do go way OTT about static. Unless you are wearing nylon socks and rub then up and down a wool carpet as you work you are not going to spark anything. You shouldn't be touching the contacts anyway.
Its not about massive discharges like sparks. Even a component sitting on the desk and standing close to it without touching can cause damage. You may not see anything immediately but the component may fail over time due to the damage. There are two types of failure :
Catastrophic Failure - When an electronic device is exposed to an ESD event it may no longer function.
Latent Defect - A latent defect, on the other hand, is more difficult to identify. A device that is exposed to an ESD event may be partially degraded, yet continue to perform its intended function. However, the operating life of the device may be reduced dramatically.
Examples of Static Generation Typical Voltage Levels :
Relative Humidity :................... 10-25%........65-95%
Walking across carpet .............. 35,000V.......1,500V
Walking across vinyl tile............. 12,000V.......250V
Worker at bench....................... 6,000V........100V
Removing bubble wrap from PCBs..1,500V.........18,000V
Poly bag picked up from bench.... 20,000V.......1,200V
Chair with urethane foam........... 18,000V.......1,500V
Source:
http://www.esda.org/esdbasics1.htm
Handling equipment with no ESD where I work is a fire-able offense. At the end of the day it is up to you. If you want to risk it with bits you've bought go ahead its your money.
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