{"id":354,"date":"2016-01-07T07:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gndzero.com\/blog\/?p=354"},"modified":"2018-04-03T12:37:30","modified_gmt":"2018-04-03T16:37:30","slug":"need-esd-shoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gndzero.com\/blog\/need-esd-shoes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do You Need ESD Shoes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You’ve heard teachers say, “Any question is a good question, so ask away!”<\/p>\n

So, here’s a question…“Why Do I\u00a0Need ESD Shoes?”<\/strong> Before we answer that, let’s briefly review electrostatic discharge first.<\/p>\n

Electrostatic Discharge or ESD: A Quick Review<\/strong><\/p>\n

Simply defined, static electricity is an electrical charge caused by an imbalance of electrons on the surface of a material.\u00a0 This imbalance produces an electrical field that can be measured and that can influence other objects at a distance. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is the transfer of charges between bodies at different electrical potentials.<\/p>\n

You<\/em><\/strong> are most likely aware of ESD at two extremes<\/em>: \u00a0the annoyance of that shock from striding across a carpet or witnessing the destructive nature of a lightning strike.<\/p>\n

However, between these two extremes are electrostatic discharges found in workplace environments that can actually be costly or dangerous. Personnel shock injuries can range from a mild annoyance to a temporary loss of sight or hearing.<\/p>\n

This same static discharge can ignite flammable mixtures and damage electronic components. Static electricity can also attract contaminants in clean environments or cause products to stick together. \u00a0Sometimes called the “invisible enemy”,\u00a0static electricity or ESD can wreak havoc in many work environments if not properly\u00a0managed.<\/p>\n

Why You Need ESD Shoes…<\/strong><\/p>\n

While there are physical and mechanical causes for ESD in manufacturing, technological or office environments, p<\/strong>ersonnel are considered a primary cause of electrostatic discharge<\/strong><\/em>. In other words, personnel themselves charge up their own bodies!\u00a0The clothing and shoes they wear<\/strong><\/em> generate electrostatic charges when they scoot in and out of their chairs, or as they shuffle across the floors. It can even be generated in unintentional movement as shirt fabric rubs up against the skin. (Talk about being charged up and ready to go!<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Combined with ESD flooring, you can prevent damaging buildup of static discharge<\/strong> with ESD shoes. Static dissipative footwear is designed to reduce the accumulation of excess static electricity<\/strong><\/em> by conducting the body charge to the ground<\/em>, while maintaining a high enough level of electrical resistance.<\/p>\n

Suggested industries that would benefit from ESD flooring and footwear include laboratories, clean rooms, hospitals, utility plants, high-tech manufacturing, car manufacturing and plastics, just to name a few.<\/p>\n

What We Offer…<\/strong><\/p>\n

To offset potential damages from ESD, Ground Zero offers a variety of protective footwear:<\/p>\n