How to Prevent and Eliminate Static Electricity in Industrial Production Processes

Royal Decree 614/2001 establishes the minimum provisions that must be met in workplaces to protect professionals from electrical risks. This regulation applies to different employment sectors, including industry, where static electricity poses a danger that requires special attention. All of this is detailed in the document Risks Caused by Static Electricity, prepared by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 

Knowing how to prevent static electricity in industrial processes significantly reduces the likelihood of workers experiencing discomfort associated with its occurrence or even workplace accidents. Humidity and temperature are directly related to the occurrence of this phenomenon, whose incidence increases in industry for different reasons:

• The usual friction between two materials that occurs during operations, generating the transfer of electrons from one to the other. 
• The use of insulators in equipment, which contribute to static electricity building up. 
• The use of non-conductive surfaces that tend to accumulate static electricity.  

• Processes involving the separation and contact of materials that are carried out at high speed. 

What Problems Does Static Electricity Cause in Industrial Processes? 

These circumstances are common in industrial processes and increase the likelihood of static electricity occurring, which can have negative consequences for people and products. 

1. Risk of Explosion and Fire 

This situation can have serious consequences and is even covered by specific regulations, Royal Decree 681/2003, focused on protecting workers exposed to risks arising from explosive atmospheres. 

Industrial processes involving petroleum or other chemical products are especially vulnerable to this risk. Electrostatic charges that build up on certain surfaces and manifest as sparks can cause fires or explosions when they come into contact with flammable liquids, gases or dusts.  

2. Product Damage

Static electricity is especially harmful when working in the plastics industry or with electronic devices. In the former case, electrostatic charges can attract contaminants and dust to the plastic surface and affect the quality and appearance of the final product. 

Meanwhile, the dangers of static electricity when assembling electronic devices are varied. These include the fact that resulting discharges can damage one of the device's components, triggering different failures or data loss.

3. Risks to Workers' Physical Safety 

Static electricity discharges affecting industrial professionals cause discomfort that can reduce their focus and productivity. 

They can also increase workplace accidents in the industrial sector, creating situations that affect their health, such as falls from height after an unexpected spark or burns of varying severity, especially serious when working with combustible materials. 

How to Prevent and Eliminate Static Electricity in Industrial Production

The industrial sector is especially sensitive to these situations. Being clear about how to prevent static electricity in different processes and taking the appropriate measures to achieve this is the best way to reduce the risks associated with it. Let us take a look.

Grounding

This is a highly effective protection system against static electricity that consists of grounding conductive objects. In this way, the electrical charge is diverted to the ground, eliminating contact with workers and preventing an energy overload that can damage products or even cause explosions. 

Humidity Above 50%

Relative air humidity in enclosed workplaces, including industrial spaces, where there are static electricity risks must exceed 50%. This is set out in Royal Decree 486/1997, focused on workplace safety. This creates a conductive moisture film on objects that drains electrical charges. 

Use Lubricants That Reduce Friction 

Contact and friction between materials contribute to the buildup of static electricity. Introducing elements that reduce them is an effective way to minimise it. Smooth surfaces and lubricants are excellent allies in achieving this, along with reducing the speed of the processes in which this friction occurs.

Ionise Surfaces 

Ionising devices emit ions capable of neutralising static charge, which prevents static energy from accumulating in the materials handled by workers in industrial processes. 

Use Materials Such as Steel or Copper 

These are conductive materials that help electrical charge dissipate. It is advisable to replace insulating materials with copper or stainless steel in areas where more static electricity accumulates. 

Provide Workers With Protective Equipment That Prevents Static Electricity

The combination of all these measures helps reduce the presence of static electricity in industrial processes. However, any professional working in an environment with these risks must have suitable PPE capable of dissipating it. Necessary equipment includes ESD footwear, which helps direct electricity towards the ground, eliminating the risk of discharges affecting people. 

Equipping professionals with ESD shoes is essential to reduce the risks caused by static electricity in industrial processes. At Shoes For Crews, we have a wide variety of models that you can discover in our footwear catalogue and that adapt to your needs. Contact us and we will answer any questions you may have.