Graphic shows four types of ESD footwear. In the top left corner is an illustration of red high heel shoe with a toe grounder with the text "Toe grounder. Strap attaches to the toe, for use with high-heel shoes". In the top right corner is an illustration of a brown shoe with a heel grounder and the text "Heel grounder. Strap cups the heel of the shoe." In the bottom right is an illustration of a white casual shoe/trainer with the ESD symbol on. The text reads “ESD Shoes. Conductive outsole provides full contact with the floor.” In the bottom right is an illustration of a white and blue casual shoe/trainer with a sole grounder attached. The text reads “Sole grounder. Covers the sole, providing full contact with the floor.”

ESD Footwear: What Is It and When Is It Necessary?

[16 min read]

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Without special footwear, some ESD floors cannot prevent static discharge. Learn why, how options differ, and how footwear interacts with flooring materials.

Need additional information about specific ESD products? Learn more about the StaticWorx ESD flooring range.

Image is a cropped illustration of brown shoes with heel straps attached
Banner showing 4 completed ESD flooring installations and the text Staticworx ESD Flooring - Click to View Our Product Range and telephone number 617-923-2000.

Preventing Static: ESD Flooring the First Line of Defense

Regular floors are insulators. This means they can’t be grounded. With a regular floor, static charges stay on its surface. They have nowhere to go. They’re stuck. Instead of providing a path to ground, regular floors create charges on people as they walk across the floor.

With ESD floors, conductive elements are added to the flooring material in the manufacturing process; these conductive elements draw static downward, away from the surface of the ESD floor, through the thickness of the material, across the underlying conductive ground plane, to copper strips connected to ground.

Illustration demonstrating how charges are grounded with ESD carpet. A person (cropped to show legs/feet) stands on a carpet tile. A zoomed-in close up shows the carpet tile and backing. Underneath the tile is a layer of conductive adhesive and then the floor. The diagram shows the path to ground for the charge from the person. The illustration shows how conductive carpet fibers sweep static from shoe soles and transport charges to the underlying ground plane (conductive adhesive or underlayment).

While conductivity is vital to protecting static-sensitive electronics, providing a path to ground does only part of the job. When people walk across the floor, the friction between the soles of their shoes and the surface of the floor generates a triboelectric—or static—charge, called walking body voltage. This is true of regular, as well as with certain—in some cases, very effective—static-control floors.

The charge stays in place until the person touches someone or something, then releases to that person or object. This sudden rush of electrical current, called an electrostatic discharge, or ESD, can wreak havoc in any environment where sensitive electronics are manufactured, handled, or used.

A diagram in three panels showing how walking body voltage works. The first panel shows someone walking across the floor and a build up of static. The text reads "1. Friction between the soles of shoes and the surface of the floor causes a transfer of electrons, leaving a positive charge on one surface and a negative charge on the other. This is called a triboelectric charge, or static electricity." The second panel shows a further build up of static electricity. The text reads: "As the person walks, static accumulates on the body. Humans can’t feel static until the charge reaches 3500 volts." The final panel shows someone at a desk touching electric equipment with a charge on their hand/arm. The text reads:" Static stays in place until the person touches someone or something, then the charge transfers, or discharges, to the other person or object. A static charge as low as 20 volts can damage or destroy sensitive electronic components."
A diagram in three panels showing how walking body voltage works. The first panel shows someone walking across the floor and a build up of static. The text reads "1. Friction between the soles of shoes and the surface of the floor causes a transfer of electrons, leaving a positive charge on one surface and a negative charge on the other. This is called a triboelectric charge, or static electricity." The second panel shows a further build up of static electricity. The text reads: "As the person walks, static accumulates on the body. Humans can’t feel static until the charge reaches 3500 volts." The final panel shows someone at a desk touching electric equipment with a charge on their hand/arm. The text reads:" Static stays in place until the person touches someone or something, then the charge transfers, or discharges, to the other person or object. A static charge as low as 20 volts can damage or destroy sensitive electronic components."

ESD floors are designed to discharge static electricity to ground and eliminate charges from building as people walk—protecting electronics and electronic equipment from damage caused by ESD.

Footwear and Charge Generation

Illustration shows a hand with a finger reaching out to touch a doorknob.. The finger glows where it touches and numerous blue circles with minus signs in represent the elections being transferred or the static charge. The label above reads "At least 3500 volts" representing the human threshold of sensitivity to electrostatic discharge (ESD)Say “static,” and most of us think about static cling or the pesky zing we get from doorknobs. In fact, static is an invisible threat. To feel a static shock, the charge must be at least 3500 volts. But a charge as low as 20 volts can disrupt data or damage or destroy the microcircuits inside electronic components.

To prevent damage caused by random static events, an ESD floor must perform two functions:

1) Provide a safe and effective pathway to ground;
2) Prevent the generation and accumulation of static when people walk on the floor.

Image is a cropped illustration of brown shoes with heel straps attachedWithout the use of special ESD footwear—heel straps, toe straps, sole straps or ESD shoes—some static-control floors meet only the first requirement: they do not prevent static from accumulating as people walk.

The type of footwear used in the space also affects charge generation. Shoes with PVC soles, for instance, generate more static than shoes with leather soles. Because of its triboelectric propensities, leather is naturally low-charge generating; leather also absorbs moisture, which acts as a conductor to reduce static charges.* However, the anti-static tendency of leather is not reliable; in lower humidity ranges, leather shoes are not always anti-static.

Illustration shows a hand with a finger reaching out to touch a doorknob.. The finger glows where it touches and numerous blue circles with minus signs in represent the elections being transferred or the static charge. The label above reads "At least 3500 volts" representing the human threshold of sensitivity to electrostatic discharge (ESD)

Say “static,” and most of us think about static cling or the pesky zing we get from doorknobs. In fact, static is an invisible threat. To feel a static shock, the charge must be at least 3500 volts. But a charge as low as 20 volts can disrupt data or damage or destroy the microcircuits inside electronic components.

To prevent damage caused by random static events, an ESD floor must perform two functions:

1) Provide a safe and effective pathway to ground;
2) Prevent the generation and accumulation of static when people walk on the floor.

Image is a cropped illustration of brown shoes with heel straps attached
ESD Heel Straps: Some form of ESD footwear must be used in conjunction with ESD vinyl and epoxy floors.

Without the use of special ESD footwear—heel straps, toe straps, sole straps or ESD shoes—some static-control floors meet only the first requirement: they do not prevent static from accumulating as people walk.

The type of footwear used in the space also affects charge generation. Shoes with PVC soles, for instance, generate more static than shoes with leather soles. Because of its triboelectric propensities, leather is naturally low-charge generating; leather also absorbs moisture, which acts as a conductor to reduce static charges.* However, the anti-static tendency of leather is not reliable; in lower humidity ranges, leather shoes are not always anti-static.

Leather shoes generate too much static to meet the body voltage limits for ANSI-certified electronics manufacturing and handling.

That’s why, when selecting an ESD floor, it’s crucial to determine what type of shoes people will wear in the environment—and, if the floor is not low charge generating, mandate the use of ESD footwear.

What is ESD Footwear?

Footwear is the meeting point between the floor and a person walking on the floor. When shoe soles come into contact with the floor, the conductive elements in ESD footwear form an electrical bond or bridge between a person’s body and the carbon veins in static-dissipative or conductive floors, discharging static to ground.

Used in conjunction with floors, such as static-dissipative or conductive vinyl, that do not inhibit static generation, ESD footwear prevents static generation when people walk.

ESD footwear comes in several forms: heel straps, toe straps, sole straps, and shoes. Benefits and performance vary, with buyers selecting footwear based on their needs and priorities.

Heel Straps

Illustration of a brown shoe with a heel grounder attached.Made of conductive material, heel straps cup the heels of the shoes. The conductive strap forms an electrical bond with the conductive fibers or filaments in the ESD floor. An attached conductive ribbon tucks into the shoe and is inserted into the sock (if worn), making contact with the skin, which is mildly conductive. The conductive ribbon (or band) bleeds static from the surface of the skin, preventing charges from accumulating.

Heel straps are inexpensive and can be used with regular footwear. For those with a tight budget or transient workforce, who may not wish to invest in costlier ESD shoes, or with workers reluctant to wear industrial-type footwear, heel straps are a good choice.

Illustration of a brown shoe with a heel grounder attached.Made of conductive material, heel straps cup the heels of the shoes. The conductive strap forms an electrical bond with the conductive fibers or filaments in the ESD floor. An attached conductive ribbon tucks into the shoe and is inserted into the sock (if worn), making contact with the skin, which is mildly conductive. The conductive ribbon (or band) bleeds static from the surface of the skin, preventing charges from accumulating.

Heel straps are inexpensive and can be used with regular footwear. For those with a tight budget or transient workforce, who may not wish to invest in costlier ESD shoes, or with workers reluctant to wear industrial-type footwear, heel straps are a good choice.

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Unobtrusive
  • Comply with ESD standards when used with many types of ESD floors

Disdvantages

  • Partial contact with the floor
  • Small conductive surface area
  • Compliance difficult to monitor
  • Do not comply with ESD standards when used with certain types of ESD floors

Toe Straps

Illustration of a red high heeled shoe with toe strap attachedConductive toe straps cup the toe of the shoe. As with heel straps, an attached conductive ribbon or band tucks into the shoe, bringing the person, shoe and floor to the same electrical potential, and discharging static to ground.

Like heel straps, toe straps are inexpensive and can be used with regular footwear. Typically worn with high- or thin-heeled shoes, conductive toe straps create an electrical contact point between the floor and sole of the shoe.

Illustration of a red high heeled shoe with toe strap attachedConductive toe straps cup the toe of the shoe. As with heel straps, an attached conductive ribbon or band tucks into the shoe, bringing the person, shoe and floor to the same electrical potential, and discharging static to ground.

Like heel straps, toe straps are inexpensive and can be used with regular footwear. Typically worn with high- or thin-heeled shoes, conductive toe straps create an electrical contact point between the floor and sole of the shoe.

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Unobtrusive
  • Can be worn with high- or thin-heeled shoes
  • Comply with ESD standards when used with many types of ESD floors

Disdvantages

  • Partial contact with the floor
  • Small conductive surface area
  • Compliance difficult to monitor
  • Do not comply with ESD standards when used with some types of ESD floors

Sole Straps

Sole GrounderConductive sole straps cover the full sole of the shoe, providing electrical contact with the ESD floor as long as some portion of the shoe sole is in on the floor. Like heel and toe straps, sole straps come with an attached conductive ribbon that tucks into the shoe, drawing static away from the wearer, through the conductive sole strap to the floor, dissipating charges to ground.

Less expensive than ESD shoes, conductive sole straps provide the same full electrical contact with the ESD floor—even when the feet are partially lifted or one foot is off the ground. If a person is squatting, for instance, the heels of his or her shoes are generally lifted, rendering heel straps ineffective. With sole straps, conductive contact would still occur through the toes of the shoes. The surface area of ESD sole straps is also large enough to make electrical contact even on floors with a low density of conductive particles.

Continuity ensures constant protection.

Illustration of a casual shoe/trainer in white with blue markings with a sole grounder attachedConductive sole straps cover the full sole of the shoe, providing electrical contact with the ESD floor as long as some portion of the shoe sole is in on the floor. Like heel and toe straps, sole straps come with an attached conductive ribbon that tucks into the shoe, drawing static away from the wearer, through the conductive sole strap to the floor, dissipating charges to ground.

Less expensive than ESD shoes, conductive sole straps provide the same full electrical contact with the ESD floor—even when the feet are partially lifted or one foot is off the ground. If a person is squatting, for instance, the heels of his or her shoes are generally lifted, rendering heel straps ineffective. With sole straps, conductive contact would still occur through the toes of the shoes. The surface area of ESD sole straps is also large enough to make electrical contact even on floors with a low density of conductive particles.

Continuity ensures constant protection.

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Unobtrusive
  • Full contact with ESD floor
  • Excellent static protection
  • Comply with ESD standards when used with many types of ESD floors

Disdvantages

  • Compliance difficult to monitor

ESD Shoes

An illustration of an ESD shoe represented by a white casual shoe/trainer with the ESD symbol onESD shoes are no longer your grandfather’s—or grandmother’s—hideous, orthopedic-looking footwear. Today, ESD shoes come in a variety of styles to suit both men and women. More expensive than heel, toe, or sole straps, conductive or dissipative shoes are typically used in electronics manufacturing and assembly applications, and selected to help to ensure compliance with ANSI/ESD footwear protocols.

Easiest type of footwear to use

ESD shoes are superior to heel, toe and sole straps in that shoes are easier to put on, so more likely to be used properly. Shoe straps can slip or slide, be attached incorrectly, or—if the conductive band is incorrectly inserted—straps can fail to make electrical contact with the skin.

Compliance is easy to monitor.

ESD footwear should never be worn outside the facility. Upon entering the workspace, people should be required to put on static-protective heel, toe or sole straps, or change to ESD shoes. Requiring people to change shoes makes compliance relatively easy to police. With the ESD symbol on the back or side of the shoe, ESD shoes are easy to spot in the work area. As they’re bigger and bulkier, ESD shoes are also easier to see than heel, toe or sole straps.

Full, continuous contact with the ESD floor

In terms of static protection, ESD shoes are similar to conductive sole straps: both types of ESD footwear provide full contact with the ESD floor, and protect against static even when one foot is off the ground or the feet are partially lifted. Continuity ensures constant protection.

An illustration of an ESD shoe represented by a white casual shoe/trainer with the ESD symbol onESD shoes are no longer your grandfather’s—or grandmother’s—hideous, orthopedic-looking footwear. Today, ESD shoes come in a variety of styles to suit both men and women. More expensive than heel, toe, or sole straps, conductive or dissipative shoes are typically used in electronics manufacturing and assembly applications, and selected to help to ensure compliance with ANSI/ESD footwear protocols.

Easiest type of footwear to use

ESD shoes are superior to heel, toe and sole straps in that shoes are easier to put on, so more likely to be used properly. Shoe straps can slip or slide, be attached incorrectly, or—if the conductive band is incorrectly inserted—straps can fail to make electrical contact with the skin.

Compliance is easy to monitor.

ESD footwear should never be worn outside the facility. Upon entering the workspace, people should be required to put on static-protective heel, toe or sole straps, or change to ESD shoes. Requiring people to change shoes makes compliance relatively easy to police. With the ESD symbol on the back or side of the shoe, ESD shoes are easy to spot in the work area. As they’re bigger and bulkier, ESD shoes are also easier to see than heel, toe or sole straps.

Full, continuous contact with the ESD floor

In terms of static protection, ESD shoes are similar to conductive sole straps: both types of ESD footwear provide full contact with the ESD floor, and protect against static even when one foot is off the ground or the feet are partially lifted. Continuity ensures constant protection.

Advantages

  • Full contact with ESD floor
  • Superior static protection
  • Compliance easiest to monitor
  • Comply with ESD standards when used with many types of ESD floors

Disdvantages

  • Expensive
  • Personnel must change shoes
  • Some brands do not provide adequate conductivity to meet system resistance requirements
  • May not comply with ESD standards when used with some types of ESD floors
Selecting a Static-control Floor
Get the essential tools for specifying and selecting an ESD floor. FREE in our short, but comprehensive visual e-guide.
✓ Specification checklist;
✓ visual selector guide;
✓ walking body voltage/low static generation;
✓ resistance requirements and testing;
✓ ESD flooring comparison;
✓ industry standards & test methods;
✓ key ESD terms
Start your ESD journey today!
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Flooring Materials and ESD Footwear

A graphic showing the body voltage generated on different types of flooring using different footwear. The floor types are interlocking A and interlocking B, ShadowFX carpet tile, Eclipse rubber tile, vinyl tile a, AmeriWorx vinyl tile, epoxy coating A and epoxy coating B. The footwear types are regular footwear, ESD heel strap, ESD shoes. The graph shows that with the right footwear/floor combination,

Standard, non-ESD flooring

As noted above, regular, non-ESD flooring is an insulator and cannot be grounded. Special ESD footwear will neither ground nor prevent static generation on regular, non-ESD floors.

ESD Vinyl and Epoxy

With ESD Footwear

Some very high performing static-control floors—conductive vinyl, for example—are made from ordinary static-generating materials (in this case, regular vinyl) with a small distribution of carbon or graphite particles. The floor is groundable and the embedded conductors provide a safe pathway to ground. Because the material itself generates static, ESD vinyl does not reduce walking body voltage on a person wearing ordinary footwear.

For the floor to be effective, protocols must be in place mandating that every person in or passing through the environment wear static-protective footwear religiously.

This does not mean conductive vinyl is an inferior product. It means that static-control vinyl works best in applications, such as electronic manufacturing and assembly, where footwear and traffic are tightly controlled and regularly monitored.

ESD epoxy, recommended for applications requiring extreme durability—where forklifts are used, for example—is highly susceptible to static. For this reason, ESD epoxy should never be used without tightly enforced protocols requiring the use of ESD footwear.

With Street Shoes

In environments, such as server rooms, 9-1-1 dispatch operations, FAA flight towers, or mission critical data centers, where there are no protocols for ESD footwear—or in environments where protocols are in place but footwear is not regularly monitored or mandates can’t be enforced—and people wear regular street shoes, ESD vinyl and epoxy will not prevent static buildup and should not be used.

ESD Carpet and Rubber Perform Well With or Without Special ESD Footwear

In environments where people wear regular footwear, static-dissipative carpet tile and ESD rubber are the best ESD flooring choices. Static-control carpet and ESD rubber provide a safe pathway to ground while also reducing walking body voltage—regardless of footwear.

Because of their ability to provide redundancy—a.k.a. belt and suspenders—ESD rubber and carpet are also superior choices for electronics manufacturing facilities. If footwear protocols are haphazardly followed, ESD rubber and carpet still provide a high level of protection that ESD vinyl and epoxy are incapable of providing.

Independent research and lab testing found conductive rubber to be the only ESD flooring material that protects against static regardless of footwear.

Static-Dissipative Carpet Tiles

Static-dissipative carpet tiles contain thousands of dissipative fibers that sweep static off the soles of shoes as people walk, and direct the charge safely to ground—much the way small brushes eliminate static on high-speed copiers as paper is fed into the collator.

Illustration representing how carpet fibers brush static off the soles of shoes. The illustrations shows cutoff legs/feet walking across the floor. As they move, the carpet fibers sweep the soles. The text reads “The fibers in ESD carpet brush static off the soles of shoes, much the way conductive brushes sweep static charges from paper or film as it moves through a copying machine.”
Illustration representing how carpet fibers brush static off the soles of shoes. The illustrations shows cutoff legs/feet walking across the floor. As they move, the carpet fibers sweep the soles. The text reads “The fibers in ESD carpet brush static off the soles of shoes, much the way conductive brushes sweep static charges from paper or film as it moves through a copying machine.”

ESD Rubber

Static-dissipative rubber is a naturally low static generator. Because rubber is similar to the material used in the soles of regular shoes—and since similar materials generate minimal static when they interact—ESD rubber also inhibits static without the need for special footwear.

ESD Footwear: Essential to Meet Electronics Industry Standard ANSI/ESD S20.20

For electronics manufacturing and assembly applications, industry standards require that resistance to ground (RTG) including the person, footwear and floor be < 1 billion ohms or ≤ 1.0 X 10E9, and the static generated in a standard walking body voltage test (while wearing special ESD footwear, per ANSI/ESD STM97.2) < 100 volts.

With regular footwear, rubber and carpet minimize static generation. But when people walk on the floor wearing regular street shoes, these materials do not keep charges under 100 volts. Since 100 volts is the maximum allowable charge, all electronics applications involving ANSI/ESD S20.20 require the use of ESD footwear.

A circular ESD safe symbol for a protected area in yellow with the ESD symbol in the center in black and the text "ESD Safe". In the top left corner of the circle is the text "ANSI/ESD S20.20" and in the right is the txt "Protected Area"
All electronics applications involving ANSI/ESD S20.20 require ESD footwear.

ESD Footwear by Flooring Type and Applications

ESD Footwear by Flooring Type and Applications

A graphic showing ESD footwear by flooring type and applications. The first part shows the title “Floor requires ESD Footwear” and underneath that the label “Flooring Types” with the text “Static-dissipative or conductive vinyl” and “Static-dissipative or conductive epoxy.” The second part has the title “Floor does not require ESD footwear” and underneath that “Excluding applications that must meet the industry standard ANSI/ESD S20.20”. Underneath that is the label “Flooring Types” with the text “Static-dissipative or conductive carpet” and “ESD rubber”.

Footwear by Application

A graphic showing ESD footwear by application. The first part shows the title "Application always requires ESD footwear". Underneath that is the label "Applications" and then underneath that the text "Munitions Factories", "Electronics Manufacturing", "Electronics Handling" and "Computer System Manufacturing". The second part has the title "Application does not require ESD footwear" and underneath that the text "Excluding applications that must meet the industry standard ANSI/ESD S20.20". Below the title area is the label "Applications" and then the text "Control Rooms", "Call Centers", "Server Rooms", "FAA Flight Towers", "9-1-1 Dispatch Operations" and "Data Centers". The third part has the title "Application sometimes requires ESD footwear". Below the title area is the label "Applications" and below that the text "Cleanrooms" and "Labs"
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StaticWorx Flooring Products

A completed installation of ShadowFX static-dissipative (ESD) carpet tile (Fields & Stone range) in a lobby
A completed installation of AmeriWorx conductive (ESD) vinyl tile flooring in an electronics manufacturing facility
Photo is a cropped shot of a laboratory facility with a completed ESD rubber floor installation.
An in progress installation of GroundWorx Ultra generation 3 ESD epoxy flooring in an electronics manufacturing and assembly facility.
Completed installation of GroundLock Extreme ESD interlocking tiles at a manufacturing facility

Learning Center Articles

Useful Resources

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.