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ESD Flooring

NeoStat VX Vinyl Floor TilesWhen establishing an electrostatic protected area (EPA), making the correct choice of ESD flooring is essential to ensure that sensitive electronic components and assemblies are adequately protected from the harmful effects of electrostatic discharge (ESD).

Static Safe Environments Ltd specialises in installing ESD floors for companies in the electronic, medical and other high-tech sectors

Why choose SSE to install your ESD floor?

  • 40 years’ experience of installing ESD flooring
  • Advice on floor preparation and most appropriate material to use
  • Big range of flooring materials to choose from
  • Complete supply, deliver and install package
  • Installation by our own team of fitters
  • Test Certificate of ESD Conformance provided on completion
  • Annual testing/certification if required
  • Specialist ESD floor maintenance products available
Flooring material Durablity ESD Performance Choice of finish Spill resistance Self-install
RX Dissipative Rubber sheet
VXT Dissipative Vinyl Tiles
VXS Dissipative Vinyl Sheet
VXi Conductive Vinyl Interlocking Tiles
Neostat® Dissipative Rubber Floor matting
CX Dissipative Carpet tiles
PX Dissipative paint

The Current European Standard, BS EN 61340-5-1 ‘Protection of Electronic Devices from Electrostatic Phenomena’ is quite categorical, clear and unambiguous when it comes to describing and defining what is required from a floor in an area where ESD sensitive items are present. These floors are commonly, although incorrectly, referred to as anti static floors. A floor which allows the movement of ESD sensitive items within an EPA without additional protection, such as shielding bags, must comply with the following criteria:

The resistance to ground (Rg) of the person/footwear/floor combination must be less than 1 x 109 Ω (1 gigohm) provided any individuals’ body voltage is maintained at less than 100v.

In addition to installing a floor system for appropriate ESD protection of electronic devices, the risk of electrocution is a critical safety factor which can all too easily be overlooked. Electrical hazard reduction practices should be exercised and consideration given to the nature of the work being carried out in areas where an ESD protected floor is installed – a minimum resistance value may be required for safety reasons.

SSE will always recommend that flooring within an EPA is selected to provide safe working conditions at all times. This can most effectively be achieved by choosing a floor which provides a resistance to ground (Rg) that is greater than 1 x 106 Ω (1 megohm).

With an Rg above 1 x 106 Ω and even when low resistance footwear and/or chairs are in use, any electric shock will be limited to a safe level.