Protection against electrostatic discharges (ESD – ElectroStatic Discharge) is extremely important in areas where delicate electronics are used. They occur as the result of friction between two materials, where positive charges accumulate on human skin or hair, and negative charges “build up” on plastic or other materials. If two such differently charged materials come into contact, an electrostatic discharge occurs between them.

An example of an electrostatic discharge is walking on a carpet and then touching a door handle or metal part of furniture.

Did you know that walking on a carpet can charge your body to up to 35,000 volts?

By contrast, we only need 100 volts to erase data from sensitive electronics, such as computer memory disks. The nasty thing about electrostatic discharges is that they not only damage the device, but the damage can only become apparent after a certain period of time. Consequently, fixing it is often lengthy, time-consuming and costly. That is why the prevention of ESD and providing protection for all electronic devices is extremely important.

Effective protection requires the elimination of electrostatic discharges, especially in:

• the automobile industry,
• the electro-technical industry,
• information technology,
• telecommunications technology,
• healthcare,
• laboratories,
• data centers,
• electrical substations,
• areas at the risk of explosion and others.

The following are used as frontline protection against ESD:

• gloves,
• footwear,
• coats,
• bracelets,
• furniture,
• floors.

All the above-mentioned means must be certified for use in ESD areas in accordance with the international standard ČSN EN 61340-5-1. At the same time, all of them must always be used to ensure complete protection.

Fortelock brings an ESD flooring solution to the mix in the form of ESD tiles. All Fortelock tiles with the ESD mark are certified and recommended for areas with the potential for ESD. The tiles contain millions of tiny stainless steel fibers that safely dissipate electrical discharges. In addition, they stand out for their high mechanical resistance, which prevents damage to the surface caused by handling equipment. The tiles can be assembled quickly and easily even while maintaining operations, which means no additional costs associated with installation.

You can have tiles in the 510.5 x 510.5 format or in the XL format of 653 x 653 mm, plus you can choose from five colors. You can even have ECO tiles that contribute to environmental protection. The advantages of our tiles have already been proven in several European establishments, where they have been using them for several years.

ESD reference

In case of further questions about ESD tiles, do not hesitate to contact us.