Eureka Safety ESD and ATEX
“Harnessing Electrostatic Properties: Ensuring Safety for You and Your Electronics”
Have you ever experienced a small zap when touching something? This is caused by the separation of positive and negative charges, creating localized electrostatic charges. These small zaps, while often harmless to us, can be damaging to electronic devices and, in extreme cases, can ignite explosive atmospheres.
At Eureka, we’re committed to addressing these risks head-on and have tested all of our products’ electrical properties.
Understanding ATEX Risks: ATEX pertains to the accidental ignition of explosive atmospheres like hydrogen, natural gas, gasoline, or even dust. Gloves must exhibit an electric resistance of less than 10^9 ohms (one billion ohms) to be deemed safe in these environments.
ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) and Your Electronics: The charge we accumulate might be minuscule, but the resulting voltage can be immense. A synthetic glove can accumulate thousands of volts, and it takes only a 100-volt discharge to damage a computer chip. To protect your devices, we recommend using products with low electric resistance. Gloves that are ESD-safe have a vertical electric resistance below 1*10^8 (100 million ohms).
The Science Behind the Properties:
- Preventing Charge Accumulation: We incorporate conductive fibers or natural/hydrophilic materials to minimize charge buildup. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are more prone to accumulating charges.
- Discharge Efficiency: The electric resistance of a material determines its discharge rate. Lower resistance means quicker neutralization of a charged glove.
Our product range at Eureka has been categorized based on their electrostatic properties – from high risk (prone to static accumulation and slow discharge) to optimal (low static accumulation and rapid discharge).
Practical Tips:
- Humidity Matters: Our testing shows that lower humidity levels (25-30% Relative Humidity) increase risks. A higher humidity environment is generally safer.
- Avoid Low-Grade ESD Materials: Even with moderate Atex/ESD risks, it’s wise to steer clear of materials with poor ESD properties.
- Prioritize ESD Certification: If facing significant ESD risks, always opt for ESD-certified products.
Are you a customer of ours? view our ESD ATEX rating of our entire range on our customerpage.
For more information please contact us at eureka@berger.se
Stay safe and informed with Eureka, where we blend innovation with safety!
