The rush of sudden electrical discharge can wreak havoc in sensitive environments. Industries involved in the electronic component or pharmaceuticals handling, processing, and manufacturing are prone to the constant risk of static current build-up.
This static electricity is problematic as it triggers shocks and causes considerable damage to equipment and people working in such scenarios. It is the reason why static dissipation is a compulsory safety feature in footwear for people working in industries where static current build-up is a prevalent issue.
Static dissipating safety shoes as the name suggest are designed to reduce the amount of static electricity that is built upon your body. In this category comes safety and non-safety shoes that protect workers against the possible danger of the static current build up in the workplace.
The SD safety shoes are meant to be worn in work areas where you come directly in contact with technical and electronic components such as computer technician jobs, electronic product and component manufacturing, laboratories, clean room environment, and firework manufacturing.
These environments require you to take safety and preventative measures in advance to mitigate the effect of the accumulation of static. These shoes are designed such that they prevent contact with the floor. Plus, control the vision of sparks of the static electricity that might cause serious damages.
How Does Static Electricity Works?
Static electricity definitely can be pretty risky and a lot more dangerous in work environments. It can damage electronic components, chips that you are about to assemble in the equipment. Moreover, it can affect your ability to build a component as there is a possibility of other complications too.
Static electricity is the electrical charge that is present and circulated on the surface and floors. It occurs due to the accumulation of charge in one place. Once the sole of your shoes and the floor surface gets in contact and later is separated, there is an electrical discharge that happens thereby leading to electric shocks.
You might remember that the time when you tried to scruff your feet and then touched the floor, and later when touched your feet again, you received a mild shock, that’s what static charge is that gets build up. It seems to sound funny back then, but in a sensitive and serious working environment, this charge is not mild, instead, it’s way too dangerous to handle.
The only way to get rid of this charge and be safe is to ensure the surface and your footwear allow the electricity to seamlessly flow through it. As the electricity flows through the surface without any barrier, it reduces the chances of experiencing any kind of shock or spark. Thus, resulting in inculcating a healthier work environment.
Selecting the Right Shoes for the Job
One must carefully evaluate their job condition and working environment, before making any sort of judgment for buying a pair of SD shoes. There are different shoes based on different industries and types of work.
1.) Safety and health experts always instruct employees to wear the required shoes that offer protection. They might be a little awkward on the street but are ideally meant to act as protective gear during work time.
2.) Each industry has designed a safety protocol and shoes that go according to their workplace condition. For example, the heavy and dangerously sharp object needs shoes that are strong solid and doesn’t harm your leg even if anything falls on it.
3.) Places prone to electric shocks need static shoes that flow the electricity through our bodies. This intends to reduce the risk of the spark that causes explosion or fire. However, in such conditions, one must not wear nylon, cotton, silk, and wool material socks.
4.) SD shoes are capable to withstand electric shocks. They let the current flow through it which seems to be the best protection under all kinds of circumstances.
All You Need to Know About Static Dissipative Footwear
The danger of static buildup at the workplace can leave you in shock and a miserable situation which is the least you’d wish to expect.
Firstly, ask yourself whether you work in these two main environments that are prone to static electric charge: computer component handling workplace and plant and machinery facility, both create large static electricity in the manufacturing process.
These are the places that create static electricity which is harmful to employees working. As soon as the employee touches metal, it discharges current and the person gets unwanted shocks. This can make the person uncomfortable and vulnerable to a serious health hazard.
Did you know everything about Static Dissipating Shoes?
Static dissipating shoes come as a rescue in multiple work scenarios. They are helpful in but for that, the floors, mats as well machinery needs proper grounding to reduce the static electricity in the environment.
Multiple layers in static shoes allow the static build-up in the body of the person to pass seamlessly into the floor. This is the critically most important safety feature that must be used in the work shoes and people working under such industries.
Static dissipating shoes are a must-have safety norm in industries like hospitals, pharmaceuticals, explosive shells manufacturing, and firework manufacturing. There is no need to take a second chance or ignore safety as it is best to be prepared by wearing safety shoes.
“Most electric Shock occurs at Workplace”
Based on the research and survey conducted by the Australian health and welfare institute, it was stated that the most common place for people to experience shock and spark incidents is at the workplace.
During the year 2014-2016, about 1065 people were reported to be hospitalized due to electric shock at the workplace. This report was solely for one country, imagine the count of injuries around the world.
How Do Static Dissipative Shoes Help You
When you wear footwear with static dissipative feature –
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- The electric charges flow through your body to the ground as soon as you come in contact and get separated from the floor.
- The electricity doesn’t build up on your body which saves you against getting a shock or spark.
- The chances of getting a shock are reduced to a bare minimum especially when you touch metal objects, sensitive surfaces, or electronic equipment.
- SD footwear will help you, but you must ensure to wear it in a clean environment only.
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How to Care for ESD Footwear?
To make sure your footwear is working properly at its best, they must be frequently cleaned, maintained. A regular check needs to be provided to ensure safety is guaranteed every time you wear it.
Wondering how to protect and take good care of your shoes, here is all you must follow rigorously.
The Steps:
1.) Use a mild soap to only scrub the outsole smoothly.
2.) Ensure that your shoes are clean and away from all sorts of dirt and debris, this adds to the longevity
3.) Once in a while, make sure to clean the interior of your shoes. Remove the insole and vacuum away the interior part thoroughly.
4.) The inside of the shoes should be kept clean and tidy always.
5.) Once the inside is thoroughly cleaned, the outer part needs to be wiped with a soft cloth.
Following these steps will surely help you maintain your shoes in proper condition. Furthermore, it will ensure that safety is maintained just the right way.
7 Ways to make your shoes work correctly
If you want your static dissipating shoes to work smoothly without giving you any sorts of complications and errors, you will have to make a few things work exactly how it is. Here are things that can help ensure the work is done without any hassle:
1.) Never try to put any other type of insole in the shoes, the insole that is already in use are ideally meant to make things work.
2.) It is best to let the specialized designed insole, meant for static dissipating shoes be present in it. Otherwise, there is no chance the electricity will flow through it.
3.) If you feel that your insole is not functioning appropriately and has become nonconductive, it is time to replace your old ones with the new and better functioning ones.
4.) Ensure that when you wear your shoes, your feet, as well as the socks you wear, are not too dry (like a sunburn dry). Humidity is a need and a peak to enhance the performance of the shoes.
5.) Do not apply any shoe powder. It tends to reduce the humidity in the shoes, resulting in the effect of the shock still present.
6.) To work efficiently the floor and the sole of your shoes need to be clean all time.
7.) Leaving your sole and the floor dirty calls for dust and unnecessary matter to accumulate. It will restrict the path for static electricity flow.
FAQs
Can you wear ESD shoes outside?
No. Wearing ESD shoes outside the facility should be avoided at all costs. This will prevent your shoes from getting contaminated to ensure more effective performance.
Should electricians wear ESD shoes?
Electro Static Dissipative shoes are basically meant to be used in industrial production environments. They have an extremely low electrical resistance (between 0.1 – 100 MΩ). Alternatively, if you are working with electricity, you need shoes with high electrical resistance. For this, insulative shoes are ideal as they can handle the risk of high voltage shocks.
Takeaway
Static dissipating shoes allow you to stay safe against the annoying and disturbing shock as well as sparks. Overall, it contributes to workplace safety to the core. Depending upon what type of job role you have and the work environment you are subjected to will determine your choice of safety shoes. So make sure your shoes go well with the situation and are adequate to assure you safety.
