Antistatic Flooring: Electronics Manufacturing Is Different Than Critical Environments
How to choose ESD flooring for any application 
This chart rates ESD Flooring Tile, Epoxy and ESD Carpet based on suitability for a variety of different types of spaces and static control needs.
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| IDEAL = Highly Recommended • R = Recommended • NR = Not Recommended | ||||||
| Application by Usage Area | ESD Carpet Tile with Conductive PVC Free Backing |
ShadowFX Modular Carpet Tile |
ESD Vinyl Tile (Conductive) |
Dissipative SDT Vinyl Tile |
ESD Epoxy (Conductive)** |
Eclipse Rubber Tile and Sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission-Critical Data Centers and Networked Offices |
NR* | Ideal | NR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| Mission-Critical Government & NOC |
NR* | Ideal | HR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| Electronics Manufacturing ANSI/ESD S20.20 |
R | R | Ideal | NR | R | Ideal (Meets Class-0)*** |
| Offices Inside Electronics Manufacturing or Testing |
R | Ideal | R | NR | R | Ideal |
| Engineering Areas in EPAs**** | R | Ideal | Ideal | NR | R | Ideal |
| R&D & Laboratories | NR* | Ideal | R | NR | NR | Ideal |
| 911 Applications | NR* | Ideal | NR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| Command Centers | NR* | Ideal | NR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| FAA STD 019 Flight Control | NR* | Ideal | NR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| Clean Rooms | NR | NR | R | NR | R | Ideal |
| Hospital/MRI | NR* | Ideal | NR | NR | NR | Ideal |
| *Conductive carpet tile is not recommended for use in FAA flight areas, data centers, 911 dispatch areas, or communication rooms because it measures as low as 2.5 X 10 E4 Ohms which is too conductive. ESD grade carpet tile can measure as low as 2.5 X 10 E4. ESD grade carpet tile with conductive recycled backing does not meet the minimum resistance limits of FAA STD 019e, IEEE 1100-2005, Motorola R56 or ATIS-0600321-2010. Before specifying ESD grade carpet tile in these applications Staticworx recommends reviewing the appropriate grounding standards with a technical resource. ** Static Dissipative Epoxy does not meet the kV rating limits of ANSI/ESD S20.20 in all the applications shown above. *** Eclipse EC Rubber is the only ESD flooring certified as Class-0 Qualified. **** EPA: ESD Protected Areas |
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Some notes about rating criteria:
- ESD epoxy was rated "HR, R, NR" for some applications because many ESD epoxy floors contribute to body voltage generation even when they are used with high performance ESD footwear. Epoxy should never be specified without careful matching with complementary ESD footwear.
- Static dissipative floors like SDT are not "recommended" because ESD consultants do not recommend floors that derive their antistatic properties from special polishes and waxes or floors with electrical resistances above 1.0 X 10E8.
- Certain floors are known to generate high quantities of static if they are used in applications where personnel wear conventional/everyday footwear. High static generation is possible if everyday footwear is worn on any ESD epoxy/urethane, static dissipative tile (SDT) or Low kV computer grade 3.5 kV carpets.
- Based on numerous studies, EC rubber and static dissipative carpet tile inhibit static generation on moving persons regardless of footwear.
- ANSI/ESD S20.20-2007 strongly recommends performing several different tests to determine the best ESD flooring option. The recommended tests include all of the following:
- Resistance to ground measured in ohms: must be < 1.0 X 10 E9 Per ANSI/ESD S7.1
- System resistance to ground including the person, footwear and static control floor: must be less than 3.5 X 10 E7Pper ANSI/ESD 97.1
- Walking body voltage on a moving person: must be less than 100 volts Per ANSI/ESD S97.2
- Resistance to ground measured in ohms: must be < 1.0 X 10 E9 Per ANSI/ESD S7.1
The ideal range regarding electrical resistance for ESD flooring systems (illustrated below) is defined in ANSI/ESD S20.20 - 2007 for system resistance. All Staticworx® products meet this specification to deliver true Class Zero ESD protection.
Looking for more information in selecting the right flooring? Our published "Facility Manager's Guide" may be just the right reference guide for you...
The Facilities Manager's Guide to ESD Flooring Materials
-Published in the November 03 issue of
Conformity Magazine
Approximately 70% of anti-static and ESD floors installed in end-user environments such as emergency dispatch centers are improperly specified. This article will help you comply with appropriate standards and meet the expected standard of care.
Use Appropriate Grounding Standards: Motorola R56 and ATIS-0600321-2010
Read the full story
Electrostatic discharge can mean risks for personal safety, communication errors, and damage to expensive electronic equipment. Specifying the right floor for sensitive environments requires not only knowledge of this phenomenon, but also the available products.
by Dave Long
