Point of Contact: ESD Seating Expertise from the ‘Ground’ Floor Up
Facility managers concerned with achieving a full “antistatic” level in electric dissipation know it’s no small investment. And yet, after going through what can often be an extremely involved and costly installation process, there are still places where the effort can come up short.
That varies, of course, depending on where you sit; or to be more specific, what your employees sit on.
On that score, the right seating is a must-have.
From where we stand, BioFit can help.
Seating that's tested to ANSI/ESD STM 12.1 standards for compliance with any S20.20 program.
We offer customized planning assistance to help you develop an ESD control program that complies with accepted industry guidelines—using chrome-plated parts and drag cables proven to dissipate charges through the back, seat, base, and pneumatic controls—as well as through the casters and/or glides touching floor surfaces. Even better, we conduct quality measurements and test all seating components at each stage in assembly prior to being packed and shipped.
Taking ergonomic quality in tandem
BioFit ESD seating not only addresses the specifics of the work environment in which it will be used, but also the ergonomic needs of users. Lumbar support, waterfall seat fronts, and other ergonomic features all factor-in to the picture. Many models feature a fully encased backrest with arms grounded through the mounting bracket. Vinyl upholstery covers the front and back, including inner back strips to ensure conductivity from the top of the chair to the ground.
Better on substance and in style
Pneumatic mechanisms are also chrome-plated, equipped with a spring-loaded contact ball bearing assembly situated between the outer tube and inner cylinder. Chair controls can be powder-coated but must have bare contact points (paint removed) supplying pathways for charges to travel through. A plastic sleeve within the control unit must be drilled to allow for the threaded knob in the backrest adjustment to contact the chrome-plated back bar.
Closing the circuit against unwanted static
Many kinds of clothing, especially wool, as well as the typical shoes and socks you wear can give off significant electrostatic discharges. Just as the simple act of sitting in a chair or moving it across the room can do the same. So, it simply stands to reason that any chair intended for use in a sensitive environment is designed to ground itself and the user.
Surface resistivity of static. As a standard rule, this range is measured in ohms per square “X,” with “X” being the length of measure (in., cm., ft., etc.), and point-to-point resistivity is measured in ohms. Various upholstery materials are measured using surface resistivity, while full chairs are measured using point-to-point readings from various parts of the chair to a grounding plate.
In general, dissipative materials have a surface resistivity in a range equal to or greater than 1 x 105 ohms/sq. but less than 1 x 1012 ohms/ sq. By contrast, while static dissipation drains static generated at the surface, antistatic components prevent static from being created in the first place.
But remember, even the best ESD seating solution is incomplete without ESD compatible flooring.
