Esd Floor Testing Standards

There are several esd floor test methods associated with and recommended by voluntary associations with a keen focus on the phenomenon and control of static electricity in work environments.

Esd floor testing standards.

Ansi esd s20 20 2014 is the most recognized standard for development of an esd control program specifically for the electronics industry. This state of the art standard provides details about flooring and the interaction between flooring and personnel with references to other specific ansi esd test methods mentioned earlier. It applies a defined current waveform at a specified voltage level from a hand held generator known as esd gun. Product qualification the first step in selecting an esd floor ensures that flooring materials under consideration meet esd requirements laid out in the ansi esd s20 20 standard.

You should connect all grounded people and equipment to an electrical outlet electrical outlets follow the piping to the earth underneath building. Scope this test method covers the determination of electrical conductance or resistance of resilient flooring either in tile or sheet form for applications such as hospitals computer rooms clean rooms access flooring munition plants or any other environment concerning personnel generated static electricity. When it comes to esd flooring the test method you need to follow is ansi esd stm 7 1 2013. Iec 61000 4 2 is the standard for esd testing for immunity.

Many of the test methods ansi esd stm7 1 and astm f150 are developed to report the characterization of esd floor materials and more importantly their performance in combination with a person wearing. Ansi esd standards for wrist straps for instance are unrelated to esd flooring so we ve left them out. Qualification methods include review of specifications and either independent or internal lab evaluation or testing utilizing standard test methods stm 7 1 stm 97. But to comply with esd standards the floor must not allow body voltage generation over 100v.

Hopefully your goal is to identify flooring options that meet standards like ansi esd s20 20 2014. Esd testing according to iec 61000 4 2. According to the recommendations of ansi esd s20 20 it is acceptable to install a floor with a resistance to ground rtg that is 1 0 x10e9. Grounding cables end in eyelets so that you can tie them into the outlet.

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. You ll notice some variations in the standards. The standard governing workstations is ansi esd 6 1.