Re: Static electricity and charged-up operators...

[Darrell A Martin <DMartin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi:

I work for an electronics manufacturer. I haven't had a static shock at 
work in years. That is because the carpet has copper fibers woven into it, 
and is glued by conductive adhesive to grounded plates. Everyone is 
required to wear at least one ESD (electrostatic discharge) foot strap, or 
to wear special ESD shoes. Production staff wear two straps, or the shoes, 
*plus* wrist straps grounded to anti-static table mats. The air is kept to 
a rigidly controlled minimum relative humidity.

If you can't justify that kind of expense [grin], here are the 
alternatives of which I am aware:

1. Buy anti-static spray. Put a light coat on the floor in the area around 
the sensitive equipment. Fabric softener diluted with water works as a 
substitute (it was the inspiration for the spray in the first place IIRC).

2. If the air volume is small where the static discharges occur, get a 
humidifier. Keep the water reservoir full, especially when the last person 
leaves for the night. MilSpec and other standards say 40% relative 
humidity is the minimum for electronics manufacturing and handling. That 
is probably overkill for an I.T. department, but if you aren't well over 
10% you might as well be Ben Franklin's kite string.

3. Move to the Caribbean or some other location where the temperature 
variation is small and there is a large body of water just up wind.

Darrell

Darrell A. Martin  -  630-754-2141
Manager, Computer Operations
dmartin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx



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