FAQ: What are ESD guidelines?

ESD guidelines, or standards, vary across industries. Why is this? Because different applications require different specifications for static control. Electronics manufacturing and assembly (SMT) follow standard ANSI/ESD S20.20. S20.20 requires every person in an electronics manufacturing or assembly facility to wear special ESD-protective footwear. The resistor inside ESD footwear protects the wearing, allowing the floor to measure within a much wider resistance range – any measurement under 1.0 x 10E9 is acceptable – without concern for personnel safety.

In industries such as telecommunications, where people do not wear ESD footwear, static must dissipate at a more measured pace; guidelines for these industries specify floors with higher electrical resistance. Telecom facilities follow Motorola R52 and ATIS 0600321. U.S. flight control towers and facilities using FAA equipment follow FAA 019f. And government facilities follow S20.20 or their own government standards. 

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Background graphic is a still from the StaticWorx GroundSafe ESD Flooring – Your Trusted Partner explainer animation. In the foreground at the bottom are two boxes. The top is a bright blue with the StaticWorx logo and "GroundSafe ESD Flooring" underneath in white. The second is a dark blue-gray and includes the text in white: “GroundWorx ESD Flooring – Your Trusted Partner”
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StaticWorx high-performance static-control floors protect electronic components, explosives, and high-speed computers from damage caused by static electricity. ESD flooring is part of a system. Choices should always be based on objective, researched evidence. When you partner with us, we look at all possible items that may need to integrate with the floor, and, focusing on your goals and objectives, help you find the right floor for your application.