ESD vs antistatic shoes, what’s the difference? Which one suits you the best in your working environment? Find the answer down below!
Have you ever experienced being electrocuted when you come into contact with people? This energy that builds up in your body is referred to as static energy.
Usually this shock is not dangerous, but if you work in an industrial environment that has explosive materials then you must be careful about the type of shoes you use.
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There are two types of safety shoes that are able to protect you from static electricity, the ESD which stands for Electrostatic Dissipative Shoes and the antistatic shoes.
You might be wondering, what’s the difference, right? Let’s tuck in and find the difference between ESD vs antistatic shoes only at dimulti.id!
Table of Contents
ESD Vs Antistatic Shoes
1. Antistatic Shoes
Anti-static shoes are shoes designed with electrical resistance between 0.1 to 1000 megaohms (MΩ) in accordance with the EN ISO 20344: 2011 5.10 standard.
These shoes serve to prevent the buildup of static electrical charges on the human body by conducting these charges to the ground.
The main function of anti-static shoes is to protect electrically sensitive equipment from being damaged.
In addition, these shoes are also effective in preventing electrical sparks from the body that can trigger fires or explosions in environments with flammable or explosive materials.
Thus, the use of anti static shoes is essential in various industries to ensure the safety and integrity of equipment.
2. ESD Shoes
Unlike anti static shoes, ESD shoes (electrostatic dissipative shoes) are specifically designed to have an electrical resistance between 0.1 to 100 megaohms (MΩ) as per BS EN IEC 61340-4-3:2018 standard.
ESD shoes have lower resistance, making them more effective in preventing strong and uncontrollable electrostatic charges.
This is particularly important in working environments where there is a high risk of damage from static electricity.
With this capability, ESD shoes are more suitable for use in workplaces that manufacture electronic components or in areas with high static electricity potential.
The use of ESD shoes helps protect sensitive devices and ensure operational safety, thereby increasing efficiency and preventing damage that could occur due to electrostatic charges.
Also Read: “Composite Toe vs Steel Toe: What’s The Difference?“
What is Static Electricity?
You might be wondering, we’re talking a lot about static electricity, but what static electricity really is? And how is it generated? You know the drill!
Static electricity is an electric charge that accumulates on the surface of an object and does not move.
This usually happens when two objects rub together, like when you rub a balloon against your hair.
Electrons can move from one object to another, causing one object to be positively charged and the other negatively charged.
Especially in a workplace, static electricity can be generated when there’s a friction between the soles and the floor which you cannot feel until it reaches 3500 volts.
When these charges are released, such as when you touch a metal object after walking on a carpet, there can be an electric spark.
Static electricity can be dangerous in certain places, such as in factories that work with flammable materials or sensitive electronic equipment.
That’s why it’s important to control static electricity so that it doesn’t cause problems or damage.
