Boost your protection against electrostatic discharge

In environments where sensitive electronics are handled, protecting them against electrostatic discharge (ESD – ElectroStatic Discharge) is extremely important. It is created by friction between two materials, when positive charges build up on human skin or hair while negative charges accumulate on plastic or other materials. When two such differently charged materials come into contact, an electrostatic discharge occurs between them.

A typical example of electrostatic discharge is walking across a carpet and then touching a door handle or another metal part of furniture.

Did you know that walking on a carpet can charge the body to as much as 35,000 volts?

On the other hand, just 100 volts is enough to erase data from delicate electronics such as computer memory drives. The insidious nature of electrostatic discharge lies in the fact that it damages devices, but the damage may only become apparent after some time. Subsequent repairs are often lengthy, time-consuming and costly. That is why preventing ESD and protecting all electronic equipment is extremely important.

For effective protection, electrostatic discharge must be eliminated, especially in industries such as:

• the automotive industry,
• the electrical engineering industry,
• computing technology,
• telecommunications technology,
• healthcare,
• laboratories,
• data centres,
• electrical substations,
• explosive environments, etc.

Protection against ESD is provided mainly by:

• gloves,
• footwear,
• coats,
• wrist straps,
• furniture,
• flooring.

All of the above must be certified for use in an ESD environment in accordance with the international standard EN 61340-5-1. At the same time, they must always be used together to ensure complete protection.

Fortelock delivers a solution for ESD floors in the form of ESD tiles. All Fortelock tiles marked ESD are certified and recommended for environments where ESD may occur. The tiles contain millions of tiny stainless steel fibres that safely conduct electrostatic charge away. In addition, they offer high mechanical resistance that prevents surface damage caused by handling equipment. The tiles can be installed quickly and easily while operations continue uninterrupted, so you incur no additional costs associated with downtime.

The tiles are available in the 510.5 x 510.5 format or the XL format of 653 x 653 mm, and you can choose from 5 colours. You can also opt for ECO tiles, which help protect the environment. The benefits of these tiles have already proven themselves in many European facilities, where they have been in use for several years.

ESD references

If you have any further questions about ESD tiles, do not hesitate to contact us.