The Benefits And Applications of ESD Matting For Workplace Safety

Isn’t the safety of your employees/workers the most important thing for your industry? If your employees deal with electronic products that are sensitive to static damage, then it’s your responsibility to use ESD matting.

An Electro-Static Discharge Matting (ESD Matting) is an anti-static mat that protects individuals or equipment from the detrimental effects of electrostatic discharge. The ESD matting requirements are mostly neglected or forgotten. However, you must be aware of its importance!

The lives and equipment are all affected by static electricity either directly or indirectly which may even lead to great harm if neglected. For a long time, industries have been using grounding shields to prevent the undesirable effects of static electricity. However, with advancing technology, most of the big and small industries have shifted to anti-static equipment (like ESD matting). These not only provide the body with static shielding but also reduce the electrostatic hazards of the processes.

ESD Matting is one of the most useful devices used in industries to deal with electrostatic discharge. These are ideal for applications within semi-conductor, computer, aerospace, medical device, bioscience, pharmaceutical, and medical equipment and ammunition industries.

Understanding The Basics of ESD Matting

A cleanroom or manufacturing environment requires several types of equipment to carry on the processes successfully. However, choosing the right equipment to serve the safety purpose and delivering maximum productivity is also imperative.

One of the most critical pieces of equipment to ensure your work environment safety is – ESD mats or antistatic mats. The ESD matting shields the equipment and workers from static electricity discharges. These are mainly used in work areas where charges can build up and offer a simple path to the ground for static electricity.

Without an ESD mat, your workplace and workers can be at a risk from static discharges. With ESD mats used along with other devices such as antistatic gloves, clothing, footwear, flooring,  anti-static tools, packaging, and grounding straps – you can easily protect your products and employees from unseen damages of static discharges.

Industrial Applications of ESD Matting

The ESD matting (anti-static mats) come in a wide range of sizes. While smaller mats are designed as table mats or bench mats to assist workers with finding small components or work tools, floor mats are designed larger and thicker. These floor mats withstand the wear and tear of daily foot stress.

Many companies use both kinds of mats in production as they are suited to the different requirements of the manufacturing processes. You should get ESD matting if you are dealing with the workspaces like:

• Worktops near static-charge environments
• Computer server rooms
• ESD protected areas
• Areas with assembly lines
• Microchip manufacturing plants
• Operating rooms
• Electronics manufacturing areas
• Cleanrooms

To serve the purposes in such work environments, you can choose Sierra mats that focus on developing a wide range of industrial rubber and non-slippery mats. These are used to prevent slipping, trap dirt and moisture. Also, they protect the floor and help in keeping the work environment clean. Whether it helps keep manufacturing/industrial, retail, or office buildings, floor mats from Sierra comply with every requirement.

Choosing The Right ESD Mats For Your Workplace

The ESD matting can comprise various layers and might be designed to serve specific applications. To get your hands on the right mat, you should always look for their performance:

1. Conductive & smooth rubber worktop mats

The conductive mats with smooth rubber worktops are designed to withstand heat from molten solder and hot soldering irons. These provide waterproof, anti-slip coverings to floors, workbenches, etc., and are great for electronics production, service, and repair applications.

These are typically thinner than floor mats and help to reduce the surface’s reflective properties, aiding workers with complicated electronic assembly tasks.

2. Conductive textured floor mats

Underfoot ESD mats or rubber floor mats are larger and thicker than table mats as they need to absorb more wear and tear. These are designed to have more durability, last longer, and work as part of an extended wider ESD protection scheme.

The conductive textured mat from Sierra is abrasion, heat, and chemical resistant. It can easily withstand PCB truck and cart traffic without peeling, chipping, or curling.

3. Adhesive entrance matting

The entrance mats are suitable for dust or dirt-free environments. Moreover, they are designed to eliminate frequent cleaning requirements, making it easy to maintain a clean surface. The mats are generally placed at the entrances and exits of workplaces to remove contaminants from the bottoms of the footwear and wheeled carts.

Defining The Benefits of ESD Matting

The type of matting you choose for your workplace can provide you with different benefits, whether in terms of cost or better static dissipation. Well, here are few known benefits of ESD matting over your workplace:

• It reduces the electrostatic discharge as much as possible. And it is ideal for industries where static electricity may cause damage to equipment and employees.

• These are often created with recycled materials like vinyl, rubber, and plastic that makes them durable as well as aesthetically pleasing.

• The ESD matting is easier to install anywhere in the work area. These not only reduce static electricity but also keep the surface clean for a safe and healthy workplace.

• Both installation and care of these floors are extremely simple and affordable.

• As dirt and other debris can impact the effectiveness of static control flooring, the entrance mats can help keep the work area clean.

Getting The Best Quality ESD Matting For Your Work Area

Investing in ESD mats is prudent for both corporate buildings and manufacturing facilities. It protects workers and devices from the harmful effects of static electricity and maintains the productivity of the work environment. However, buying the right equipment is also imperative.

You should always consider the essential criteria like- performance, cost, environmental condition, and life of the products before making a purchase.

Sierra mats offer ESD matting that is best suited for industrial and material handling environments. These are reliable, cost-effective, and focus on user safety while they aim at doing their work. Also, if you’re looking for superior quality ESD-safe products and tools, you can get them from GoKimco at an affordable cost!