I’m having a rough time regarding to obtain a certification for the Dissipative Epoxy flooring that has been installed at my facility. The contractor/supplier does not want to give me the certification data of the installation, they stand that it was not in the contract. So, the question is, Can I perform the test similar to ANSI/ESD STM7.1 (without the environmental condition). Is this a data valid to show in a certification audit for my facility? What other tests should I consider?
ANSI/ESD S20.20 states in the last couple sentences of section 7.3 “When a flooring/footwear system is selected, it shall be qualified using the environmental test conditioning specified in the test methods identified in Table 2 or by the lowest RH at the facility as described above. Product qualification shall be completed for each footwear and flooring type combination used by the Organization.”
So you could do the testing at your facilities lowest RH. If you are using the flooring in combination with ESD safe footwear you would not only need to meet ANSI/ESD STM7.1 for flooring, but also ANSI/ESD STM97.1 and 97.2 (resistance and body voltage for footwear in conjunction with flooring) as well as ANSI/ESD STM 9.1 (footwear).
There is a question in a previous post in the forum about what if your facility is not at its lowest RH when you plan to do the testing (see below). This should be able to help you decide how to proceed
Q: My organization recently installed a flooring system and we plan to qualify our footwear/flooring system. It is currently summer, and the relative humidity is 50%, in the winter we expect the relative humidity to drop to 20%, what should we do?
A: Product qualification must be completed per the requirements of ANSI/ESD S20.20, this allows for two approaches, either you qualify per the standard test method, or you qualify at the facility’s lowest annual humidity. If you plan to qualify per the facility’s lowest annual humidity an acceptable approach would be the creation of a testing plan, where you complete product qualification measurements over a period of time until you capture data at the lowest annual humidity
Well, already our ESDA expert Mr.Andy N has shared and clarified with sufficient information.
As I enjoy in gaining and sharing the information to remain active in the forum , just wish to share my following write up which I have made for my customers in India whenever they ask for and ESD floor material
IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING AN ESD SAFE FLOOR
Electro Static Discharge (ESD) is a serious issue everywhere from Electronics Manufacturing & handling sectors to Call centres, Telecommunication, Aerospace, Defence, Data centres & Server rooms, Explosives mfg. & handling and Govt sectors etc., ESD damage is an invisible threat everywhere and not realised until one experience its effect.
The risk due to an ESD event in the above sectors can be device or component failure, malfunction of the devices, total equipment failure, fire, explosions data disruption in the systems and may it lead to total shutdown of the activities.
In all the above sectors wherever the manual and internal transport traffic density is high, the Static Control flooring material designed and manufactured to inhibit Static Generation are used to control the static generation by human and internal transport traffic. Thus, selection of a right ESD safe floor material is a Crucial step as an ESD safe floor plays an important role and is the front line of defence in ESD control especially in Electronics, Telecom, Aerospace & Defence sectors.
Although the ESD Control application is in use in the above sectors for the past 4 decades plus, many users are unaware of the ESD Control Products Qualification & Compliance requirements per the Global standards for ESD Control. Reason being that Majority of the ESD Control Products suppliers are just Traders with not adequate knowledge on the products they are supplying and are being blindly accepted by majority of the users.
EOS/ESD Association Inc. New York, USA (Estd 1982) is the Global Organization for setting the Standards for Static Control and Administer for ESD Control Certifications where an ESD Control Program is followed.
The prevailing two Global ESD Control standards which are administered and certified per ESDA are; ANSI/ ESD S 20.20.2021 & IEC 61340-5-1-2024 with relevant set test methods for each key item/s used in an Electrostatic Protected Area (EPA). While technically both the standards are equivalent to each other, IEC 61340-5-1-2024 is mainly followed in European belt, ANSI/ ESD S 20.20.2021 in the American Belt and, both the standards in the Asian belt (especially in India- as many MNC units need to follow their Parent organisations guidelines).
Per either of the above two standards, before any of the ESD Control Product is put into use, it is Mandatory that the said product need to have a Detailed Product Qualification Test Report and Certificate Conforming its eligibility to put into use for an effective ESD Control Program.
Subsequently the periodic Compliance Verification test/s at regular frequency advised to ensure its continuous on-going effectiveness to maintain an effective ESD Control Program.
Effective 01/06/2023 PRODUCT QUALIFICATION is an essential MANDATORY part of any ESD Control Program. The user can no longer just depend upon a “Technical Data Sheet “from the material supplier/s to prove a Product’s Qualification & /or Compliance Verification that meets either of the above two Global standards. Without proper verification of a product or package, your entire supply chain could be at risk. YOU SHOULD TRUST your Supplier. But, verify. Ensure to have the DETAILED test report and certificate from any of the following*(in the next page) that the supplied material/s CONFORM to either of the two standards with relevant test methods before putting the product/material into use.
DETAILED test report and Certificate from any of the following a. From Supplier b. From an Independent Third-party c. By User’s Internal ESD Facility Coordinator However; in all the above three cases the Report SHALL have; (1) Details of the instrument/s used, (2 )Location (3) Date & time,(4) Environmental condition, (5) Parameters tested (6) Reference data (7) Relevant standards & test method/s (8) Recorded data with a brief description of the procedure. And, most important is that; The personnel Authorized to test shall be an ESD control trained professional and SHALL be familiar with the operation of the respective instruments recommended per the relevant standards and respective test methods.
Even today, many are often of the opinion that just with the data sheet information on the floor material’s Surface Resistance parameter mentioned in the data sheet of the supplier one can conclude about the floor material’s suitability for their ESD control Program. But IT IS NOT. Prior to putting into use, an ESD safe floor/material is to be Qualified with respect to all of the following test methods* for the respective parameters per either of the above two standards.
*Test methods for Floor & Footwear Materials: - ANSI-ESD STM7.1 / IEC 61340-4-1: Floor Materials—Resistance Characteristics Measurements (Reqd. < 1 x 10^9 ohms) ANSI-ESD STM97.1/ IEC 61340-4-5: Floor Materials and Footwear–Resistance Measurements in Combination with Personnel with multiple pair and multiple types of ESD Footwear used on the ESD Floor. (Reqd.< 1 x 10^9 ohms) o ANSI-ESD STM97.2/ IEC 61340-4-5: Floor Materials and Footwear–Walking Voltage Measurement in Combination with Personnel with multiple pair and multiple types of ESD Footwear used on the ESD Floor. (Reqd. < 100 volts Avg of 5 highest peak voltage)
For installed facilities the above tests in combination with the respective Compliance Verification procedure per ANSI -ESDTR53-01-22 / IEC 61340-5-4 -2021 shall be followed at the lowest Rh% condition described in the respective standards ANSI-ESD S20.20.2021 /IEC-61340-5-1-2024.
Thus ,if you carryout the requirements above and provide valid data to show in a certification audit for your facility it should be okay. The Assessor at the most may ask you for a demonstration on one or two locations to ascertain that the data /procedure followed by you are okay. They do not carry any test instruments with them to check . The Compliance Verification data prior to the certification audit is essential and it can be from a third party or the users Internal ESD facility Auditor / Coordinator…