I hope this post finds you well. I’ve recently encountered some challenges while managing ESD control in a mixed-environment workspace and would greatly appreciate the community’s insights and advice.
To give you some context, I am responsible for overseeing ESD protection protocols in a facility that combines both manufacturing areas and office spaces. The manufacturing sections adhere to strict ESD controls—workstations are properly grounded, ESD flooring is installed, and employees wear wrist straps and heel grounders as required. However, our office spaces, which share proximity to the manufacturing floor, often create challenges when it comes to controlling electrostatic discharge risks.
Some specific issues I’m facing include:
Transition Zones: Employees frequently move between office areas (with carpeted flooring) and ESD-safe zones. How can I minimize the risks of carrying static into protected areas?
Personal Devices: Employees often carry laptops, tablets, and smartphones into ESD-controlled areas. What’s the best practice for handling these devices while maintaining compliance?
Footwear Compliance: Although heel grounders are mandatory, we occasionally notice inconsistencies with employees wearing proper footwear, especially those who are new or visiting.
Are there any recommended strategies, products, or policies that have worked for you in similar environments? For instance, would anti-static mats in transition zones help? Are there effective training protocols or visual reminders you’ve implemented to reinforce ESD compliance?
I would love to hear from those with experience in balancing ESD safety between different zones, especially in facilities with hybrid office and production setups. Any shared experiences, guidelines, or case studies would be incredibly valuable.
This is a difficult situation for everyone to deal with effectively. Even the most full-proof methods can be thwarted by a few employees who decide that ESD doesn’t apply to them. I would say the most important thing to maintain ESD controls in any environment, including a mixed, manufacturing and office space is education and buy in from the employees and upper management. This often requires recurrent training and reminders that your company is making this a priority. There are also many other things you can do to make it more difficult for employees to forget to check for ESD compliance. Some suggestions are:
-Roping off the ESD protection areas (EPAs) so there are only a couple entry points
-Signs at the EPA entry points that indicate thsy are about to enter an EPA and need to ensure they checked their necessary ESD protection items
-Putting the integrated ESD checker at the EPA entry points for footwear, wrist-strap, and/or garment. Some of these integrated checkers can be integrated into a gate or door that will only open/unlock if the ESD test passes
-Proximity wrist strap checkers that alarm if you are within a few centimeters of a seated workstation and are not wearing a wrist strap
You also asked about how to reduce static transfer in transition zones. As long as the person entering the EPA has satisfactorily tested their footwear, the static they have on their bodies will be reduced below acceptable levels as soon as they set foot on the EPA static controlled flooring.
You also asked about how to handle personal devices like phones and laptops. These should be handled like any potential insulator in an EPA. All non-process required insulators must be kept more than 30 cm (1 foot) from any ESD sensitive items. If the insulator is essential to the process, there are rules in ANSI/ESD S20.20 that allow them to be closer.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks