What is the difference between an antistatic floor and an ESD conductive floor?

We very often come across customers asking us for an antistatic floor. However, we frequently find that almost no one knows exactly what that term actually means. After talking to the customer, we discover that they actually need something completely different. In most cases, customers need an ESD conductive floor that protects sensitive electronic components. Let us explain this in more detail.

Differences in standards

To get a better grasp of this topic, we need to say a little more about standards. They define the requirements for individual types of products placed on the market, or requirements for the effective area. Getting to grips with them is not entirely simple. There are many national and international standards, and each one requires something different.

The basic standard defining the product requirements upon market entry for resilient floor coverings, such as PVC floors, is the international standard EN 14041 - Resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings. Among other things, it defines two essential properties that the manufacturer must meet if they want to define a floor from the perspective of ESD properties:

1. Antistatic properties
2. Electrical resistance

Antistatic properties

Antistatic properties are those that ensure that the electrical charge on the human body generated when walking on such a floor will not exceed 2.0 kV. In practice, this means that a person walking on a PVC floor or a carpet will not generate an electrical charge higher than 2,000 V. You can probably guess that, from the point of view of protecting electronic components, there are two fundamental problems here.

The first problem is that an electrostatic charge is generated by other human activities as well, for example when walking across the floor. Simply by getting up from an office chair, a worker can generate a charge of up to 18,000 V. Handling a plastic bag can generate a charge of up to 17,000 V. If a worker takes off a woollen sweater in winter, it can cause a charge of up to 25,000 V. So it is by no means enough for the floor not to generate a charge. When protecting electronic components, that may not be sufficient.

The second problem is that floors with electrostatic properties defined by the EN 14041 standard prevent the human body from being charged above 2.0 kV. However, in previous articles we wrote that sensitive electronics can be damaged by a charge as small as 20 V. So in the case of protecting sensitive electrical components, it is not enough to consider a floor that meets the antistatic properties according to this standard.

Electrical resistance

You have probably already guessed that a more important requirement for floors will be their electrical resistance, specifically as low as possible. This is the guarantee that the generated charge will be safely earthed. In terms of resistance, the EN 14041 standard divides floors into:

1. Floor coverings that dissipate electrical charge (dissipative) - these are those with a vertical resistance of Rv < 1 × 109 Ω.
2. Conductive floor coverings - their vertical resistance is Rv < 1 × 106 Ω.

A conductive or a dissipative floor?

As we have seen, dissipative floors can have a resistance of up to almost 1 × 109 Ω. However, if you consider that operators must wear ESD footwear (which also has some resistance), and that the human body itself has its own electrical resistance, then the total resistance of the "system" can be even higher. If you work with sensitive electronics, such resistance may be too high for the safe dissipation of an electrical charge.

Who can help us?

So far we have only dealt with the properties defined by the EN 14041 standard, which defines the requirements for floors as such. With regard to the protection of electronic components, however, it is equally important to take into account the EN 61340 - Protection of electronic components against electrostatic phenomena standard. As we wrote in previous articles, this standard defines the requirements for the protection of sensitive electrical components.

According to it, the resistance to the earthing point Rgp must be < 1 × 109 Ω. This is essentially the same requirement imposed on us by the EN 14041 standard. So how do we get out of this?

For the protection of electronic components, however, the system resistance is more important, i.e. the resistance between person-footwear-floor. The standard states that the system resistance measured according to EN 61340-4-5 is Rg < 1 × 109 Ω and at the same time the voltage generated on the human body must be < 100 V.

It follows from the above that if you have to achieve a system resistance lower than 1 × 109 Ω, then your floor must necessarily have a substantially lower resistance. As we have already indicated above, it is necessary to take into account the additional resistance created by the footwear and the human body. With regard to safety, it is therefore advisable for the floor supplied to the systems to be electrically conductive. This means that the vertical resistance of the floor Rv < 1 × 106 Ω.

A conductive floor is able to effectively dissipate the charge conducted through the human body and footwear all the way to the system's earthing point. This protects sensitive electronic components and at the same time prevents the build-up of electrical voltage on the human body.

Summary - an antistatic floor or a conductive floor?

We assume that the difference between an antistatic floor, a dissipative floor and a conductive floor is now clear to you. An antistatic floor only prevents the creation of a charge greater than 2 kV. However, this is completely insufficient when it comes to protecting the latest electronic components. A dissipative floor dissipates the electrical charge, but only a conductive floor ensures its effective discharge into the ground. That is why, if you are considering minimising the risk of an electrostatic discharge, we recommend a conductive floor. It is the most effective at eliminating the build-up of an electrical charge. And if you want to go even further, choose one that also guarantees a system resistance (person-footwear-floor) measured according to EN 61340-4-5 of less than 1 × 109 Ω. This way you can be sure that you have done everything possible when choosing a floor to protect your valuable equipment.

Tip: Ask the manufacturer for a certificate issued by an independent testing organisation proving that the floor meets the given parameters.

For more information, technical specifications or an individual quote contact our experts. We will help you find the best flooring solution to meet your specific requirements.