How Does Your Choice of Clothing and Footwear Affect ESD?

The term Electrostatic Discharge (or ESD) refers to the discharge of stored electrical energy in the form of a sudden burst, known as an electrical pulse. In everyday life, the occurrence of an ESD may seem to carry no harm. However, to organizations dependent on electronic components or their manufacturing processes, ESD can be catastrophic. As a result, businesses are constantly looking for ways to mitigate ESD risks, including the use of tools and protective clothing (e.g. ESD safe clothing) and footwear. But what effect do choices of clothing and footwear have on ESD? All of these questions warrant further examination of this very important subject matter and a consideration of the options available through ESD safe equipment.

Why ESD Control is Important?

ESD has the potential to cause severe damage to electronic devices and components by creating large electrical surges that can cause electronic devices to not operate correctly, or to operate completely out of specification. Further, ESD poses a hazard to equipment and is a serious risk to workplace safety. For these reasons, the microelectronics, healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing industries all have strict protocols for controlling ESD, and one of those protocols includes the use of ESD safe clothing and footwear.

What Is ESD Safe Clothing?

ESD safe clothing is clothing that is designed to minimize the generation and accumulation of static electricity from the human body. ESD safe clothing is generally made out of special fabrics that incorporate conductive fibers. ESD safe clothing provides a protective barrier between the human body and sensitive electronic equipment by evenly distributing static electricity and safely grounding it, thereby minimizing the likelihood of large electrical surges damaging sensitive electronic equipment.

ESD safe clothing is available in a variety of forms including lab coats, jackets, shirts, pants, and full-body protective garments. ESD footwear is often used with ESD garments to create a full ESD protective system, especially in industries where even small amounts of static electricity can potentially disrupt operations and/or result in damage to the product.

What Does ESD Footwear Do for ESD Control?

Like ESD garments, ESD footwear is designed with conductive soles to conduct electrical charges from the wearer’s body to the ESD flooring, which displaces the electrical charge into the ground and prevents the accumulation of electrostatic charges. ESD footwear is an essential part of creating a safe and compliant ESD work environment because it complements the safety and compliance functions of the ESD garments and accessories worn in the ESD work environment.

How Does ESD Clothing Work?

ESD clothing uses either carbon fibers or metallic fibers in the fabric to create a conductive path for the electrical charge to flow away from the wearer’s body and to help create a controlled flow of electrical charge, thereby minimizing the amount of static electricity that could suddenly be discharged from an ESD-important object. ESD clothing is an essential component of an anti-static system when used with other prevention methods such as wrist straps and ESD floor tiles for persons working in sensitive environments.

Properties That Classify Work Clothing as ESD Safe

The following are the properties required to classify work clothing as ESD safe:

• Conductive materials or fibers: This can include carbon threads, metallic yarns, or other methods with antistatic coatings.
• Low triboelectric properties: This means the fabric will generate less electricity when coming into contact with another surface.
• Proper fit and coverage: The fit is important for providing adequate coverage to reduce the chances of static discharge.
• Compliance with applicable ESD standards: Such as ANSI/ESD, IEC, CE, or other recognized certifications.

These materials reduce the likelihood of static build-up and therefore protect both employees as well as sensitive electronic components.

Care of ESD Clothing

Taking care of your ESD safe clothing is vital to keep its protective nature:

• Washing: When washing these garments, use a detergent that is specifically for synthetic materials. Never use bleach or fabric softeners and wash at low temperature, as higher temperatures can ruin the conductive properties of the fabric.
• Drying: It is best to air dry ESD clothing, or use the low-heat dry setting. High heat can ruin the ESD protective properties of the garment.
• Storing: Store ESD clothing in a clean, dry place and away from contamination to ensure continued functionality.
• Inspections: Perform regular inspections of ESD garments to check for damage and replace them when necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What clothing is best for controlling ESD?

A: The best clothing for controlling ESD has conductive fibers in the fabric, meets applicable industry standards for ESD, and provides full coverage. Examples include specially designed jackets, pants, and lab coats.

What is ESD in shoes?

A: ESD shoes are used to reduce the build-up of static charges by grounding the wearer through conductive shoe soles. ESD footwear typically is used in conjunction with ESD flooring to create an effective means of discharging static electricity.

Why use ESD clothing?

A: ESD clothing protects sensitive electronic components and employees by minimizing the risk of an electrostatic discharge.

How do ESD clothing work?

A: ESD clothing utilizes conductive fibers to equally distribute static electrical charge across the garment, therefore preventing dangerous discharge of static electricity on people and/or equipment.

What properties of work clothing classify ESD as safe?

A: ESD safe clothing is composed of conductive materials, generates low static electrical charge, has a proper fit, and conforms to appropriate ESD standards.

What is the best way to wash, store, and maintain ESD clothing?

A: Wash ESD clothing with mild detergent; do not use hot water; air dry; store in a clean, dry environment; and inspect for any loss of conductivity regularly.

Your choice of clothing or footwear can contribute significantly to electrostatic discharge, especially in industries using sensitive equipment. By using ESD safe protective clothing and footwear, not only is delicate electronic equipment protected, but you create a safer, compliant workplace. By understanding the materials used, construction methods of ESD safe clothing, and care requirements, professionals can successfully control ESD, reducing risks and maximizing efficiency and effectiveness at work.