In ESD TR20.20-2016, section 8.3 Footwear/ Flooring System, ANSI/ESD STM97.2 can be used to evaluate systems prior to installation or with installed floors which included all floor coverings(e.g., tiles carpets, epoxies, and laminates), mats, paints/coatings, or floor finishes.
Is periodic walk test required for area such as warehouse that fully uses uncoated steel plate flooring type as shown below?
If walk test is required, any recommendation on how frequent it should be re-check for organization that have humidity controlled within 30% to 60% range?
Per ANSI/ESD S20.20, the ANSI/ESD STM97.2 walking voltage test is only required for product qualification which is done when first establishing the ESD program. The periodic compliance verification requirements are the resistance measurements of the footwear and flooring separately.
Even though there is no requirement to do periodic walking voltage tests, it may be beneficial to see how the body voltage of the footwear/flooring system is working over time. If you have the equipment and choose to do this, you would want to do it at least during the dryest time of the year with each approved ESD footwear type you have. The resistance checks should also be able to give you an indication of how the footwear and flooring are working over time, but the body voltage test will give you a more direct measurement
Hi
A lot of people think the lowest (due to metal surface) grounding resistance is the best for electrostatic. But I measured “walking test” onto such kind of floors and I can see that metal floor makes high frequency charging onto personnel bodies. Maximum and minimum peaks are higher than produced with the same shoes but at standard floor as vinyl for example. So, please consider this when you use metal floor. Walking test is able to show to you if you can expect problems.
Greetings of the day from India to all the members on this platform
Of-late, I saw this conversation and felt like penning down few lines jut to share my thoughts.
As our ESDA expert Andy Sir expressed , periodic compliance verification per TR 53 calls for the resistance measurements of the footwear and flooring separately but , walk test is not a requirement.
ANSI ESD S 20 20 /IEC 61340-5-1 does mention at foot that
and as per Andy Sir it is true that a walking voltage test will give you a more direct and precise measurement. Also, it is advised to have it done during the lowest Rh% maintained period .
Further, it is to be kept in mind that the flooring system is a capital item which last for a longer time and the periodic compliance verification shall be for the Rtg per TR 53 unless there is a need for cross checking with PTP on trouble shooting basis.
But, as the footwear that is being used on the said floor is a consumable item and the total system resistance and the walking voltage in combination with the floor and the personnel may v ary from person to ( male -female ) it is essential to get the foot wear PQ test done for each fresh lot and so also ,to ensure that the said new footwear compatibility with the floor again, with those personnel to whom it is and a new set of foot wear -flooring test report need to be done and recorded preferably at the lowest possible Rh% & temperature 20-26 ^C w.r.t ANSI ESD STM 97.1 & 97.2
Coming to the periodic walk test requirement for area such as warehouse that is fully covered without coated steel plate flooring type as described and shown; well floor being a pure conductor and grounded periodic walk test may be not required. But, as long as the footwear used is not tested before putting it into use on the said floor there could be a direct threat from the human body when the personnel touches any ESSDs. Because, in some cases personnel will be using a normal street footwear on such floors and in which case the charges generated from their body during the movement may not be able todrain out though they would be walking on the metal flooring except for thedissipation of charges generated between the foot sole and the floor .
