Static Electricity

Buy a new carpet

We do not have carpets on floor..just vitrified tiles...Carpets are only in cabins.

True, but they need to be made for antistatic applications. Not just any old carpet will do.....

the earthing should be placed in the plug´s in the very first place. what kind of power plugs you use were you live?

We use a 3 pin plug..

Humidify your air.

Yes, we are thinking of it...but the area is big....its about 30,000 sqft per floor...since we have ductable units for air conditioning, we have also opened some fresh air ducts for better criculation within the area..

Tell anyone who doesn't want to get zapped by the static electricity to buy a pair of anti-static slippers:

http://dir.indiamart.com/impcat/anti-static-footwear.html

Solutions include:

Grounding

Humidifier / humidity control

Static slippers, booties, mats

Wrist straps, grounding mats

Anti-static flooring (usually costly)

If anyone is handling PC boards, you really need to implement an ESD program that includes most of the above.

If it is just an inconvenience because people get a shock now and then, I would say the problem will be more cost to deal with than it is worth.

Agreed - or have a touch point. My cube's walls are aluminum and conduct to ground, so I can use them as touch to shock off before I touch something else.

On the other hand - I have nothing ESD sensitive at my desk. So it doesn't matter.

I have used that too; simple and effective.

But I also used to slap the drinking fountain, or any other object, before touching it lightly. The spark is still there, but you don't feel it!

We use antistatic ion generators in our lab. You have a large facility, but they work great.

Just give everyone one of these....$10.

Electrons Be Gone!

As you travel throughout your day, electrons are shifting all over your body. Sometimes, like when you pull your sweater off or slide out of your car, an excess of electrons attach themselves to your body (you are actually tearing them off of the other substance). When you next touch a piece of positively charged material (your car door, your computer, or perhaps a coworker), the electrons rush from you to the positive charge. The result: a static shock. Static shocks are fun, but only if you are zapping others. They can be painful and also quite destructive; once a static charge fries your laptop, you'll know what we mean.

So we offer a very easy way to help painlessly get rid of unwanted electrons. Attach the Static Electricity Eliminator (SEE, for short) to your keyring, and you'll always have it with you. If you think you are "charged," simply hold the SEE and touch the rubber tip to a grounded object (a metal desk leg, your car door, a metal peg leg, etc). You will see a little face flash on the SEE's screen, and you'll know you are static free. It's that simple. And with no batteries to worry about (because you are providing the electricity), you'll be able to use your SEE for years to come. So shout with us, "I defy thee, oh daemon of static!" Come on, we said SHOUT!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/9de7/

In the old days we just carried a little neon bulb - like the kind that used to be in nightlights.

Thank U all u geeks....Have been looking upon the resolutions provided..Im talking about a office area and not a home..Im looking after a office area occupied by around 450 associates per floor..The whole building has around 1800 associates.

Walk barefoot, in leather shoes, or naked. Hey, you wanted a bulletproof solution, didn't you?!?

Short of the REAL SOLUTION, do wear natural fibers, cotton socks and leather shoes.

And the ladies as little as they can afford. The little is - or is supposed to be - cost effective.

See, It is simple.

Next.

Get rid of the Nylon stockings.

Peticoats etc. rubbing on Nylon produce quite a static buildup as do a lot of synthetic clothing, carpet, rubber soled shoes etc.

Equipotential bonding is the only sure cure but it requires wearing an antistatic fitting before touching the offending equipment, and this is not always acceptable to the inhabitants.

Because the shock is associated with a spark jumping between your body and the item, wearing a metal thimble and touching the object with that first or with a coin or key will improve the comfort level involved in the discharge.

Put earthed anti static mats under equipment, and regularly touch them, this will help reduce the build up, use the thimble, coin or key previously mentioned.

Increase the environmental humidity, static is strongest in dry climes. There are commercially sized humidifiers available to add moisture back into the air in conditioned premises.

I have no experience with the electronic static shock eliminators, so can't comment on their effectiveness.

Thank u guys...roaming naked at office..hmm tats some answer..wonder which office allows that..would love to join..(lol)

Coming to the actual part, we are planning on installing humidifiers in the location, also some anti static mats at regular pockets as well as cubicles might help.

There are companies who specialize in helping someone like you to find and fix such problems. Find one fast!!

I do not remember how many times I have came across this. I bet the relative humidity in your building is somewhere about the same as Death Vally, probably less! It has always amazed me that companies will spend untold amounts of money on flooring, divider walls, murals, fake plants, etc, and nary a cent on air quality.

To much humidity will cause mold and will make people uncomfortable. To Little leads to static problems and eventually will aggravate people with respiratory problems. Fresh air exchange is another major problem.

Any computer server room that I designed and installed mandated 40% to 50% humidity. Static was not allowed. If the building envelope could handle it and I was allowed to to do it, I would shoot for 40% RH.

Get an evaluation from an air quality consultant.

All you say is true.

My experiences were that such companies do not even have RH measuring equipment either.....so my test was to look around at the operators and see if they were all drinking large quantities of bottled water.......it was amazing just how often this was the case when the RH level was too low.......

As an aside, we took the RH down to around 15% on mothballed ships in the RN when I was there, any less and the paint would eventually start to come off the structure (inside of course!), any more and corrosion would start.

Some of the badly set up ACs at computer customers would get down to 10% or less RH in winter.......large computer printers became effectively "van de Graaf" machines......

Siemens System Disk drives of the era would stop working, heads damaged in a week of such low RH.

Let me guess; All your suggestion's were similar to piddling into the wind.

I gave them my standard lecture on low humidity, it usually worked well and they got a professional in to set up the equipment to work correcly.

This was often a clean or replacement of the so called "mud valve" and a replacement of the broken RH meter, plus monthly checks......usually relatively low cost items....

We use anti-static air blowers on our workstations. I believe they blow ionized air that neutralizes static electricity on surfaces. Depending on what you're trying to protect, they might be an answer. If you want to clear the whole area, conductive flooring and humidity is the answer.