ESD flooring materials should be qualified by subjecting them to resistance tests Point-to-Point )(Point-to-Ground), Body Voltage Decay (BVD) tests and Body Voltage Generation (BVG) tests.

Different types of footwear interact differently with various types of flooring materials. ESD shoes are recommended. Heel/toe straps and grounders may be used but generally provide less protection. Insulative footwear (rubber and synthetic) does not allow for efficient removal of body charge.

ESD Performance Tests:

Point-to-point Resistance (EOS/ESD-DS 7.1-1991): Ground Zero ESD surface resistance is the same on all points tested, with no hot or cold spots.

Point-to-Ground Resistance (EOS/ESD-DS 7.1-1991): Ground Zero ESD point-to-ground resistance is also consistent throughout the entire surface.

Body Voltage Decay (ESD STM97.2-1999): Measuring how fast a floor drains off an electrical charge from a person or object, a Ground Zero ESD Floor BVD shows a drain-off from 5000 to 0 volts in less than 1/10 second at 72° F with a relative humidity of just 12%.

Body Voltage Generation (ESD STM97.2-1999): Static charges that build up on people when they walk across a floor are measured by BVG tests. Ground Zero Floor ESD coatings typically produce BVGs of less than 15 volts. Ground Zero Floor ESD coatings are unaffected by relative humidity (RH).

Factors to Consider other than Electrical Characteristics:

Durability: How the floor will stand up to its intended use. What types of vehicles or material handling equipment will be used on the flooring surface?

Chemical Resistance: What types of chemicals (i.e., solvents, fluxes, alcohols, acids and solders) will normally be used on the flooring surface?)

Odor: Does the coating have an odor to it? If so, will personnel be able to work during installation despite the presence of the odor?

Maintenance: The floor must be easy to maintain. If special waxes or floor finishes are required to maintain the ESD floor, they may be creating problems rather than solving them. The cost of the materials, coating application and periodic stripping add tremendously to the overall cost.

Aesthetics: The flooring material should be light-reflective, attractive and have a positive effect on personnel.

Cost-Effectiveness: The product should meet all performance requirements at a price that is affordable.

Installation: how will the floor be installed and who will install it? Ground Zero products are installed the same way any non-ESD coating or resurfacer is applied. Our floors are installed by contractors trained and approved by Ground Zero. The performance of competitors’ floors depends substantially on the skill of the installer.

Reparability: A floor will be recoated for aesthetics long before the original coating wears out. Ground Zero particulate thin film systems are generally applied in one coat over existing Ground Zero ESD installation. This also allows the end-user to change colors or highlight work stations to improve plant appearance.