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Static electricity can be a big problem in commercial buildings nowadays, as it can cause employees and visitors to the business to suffer electric shocks which can lead to low morale, and even legal cases sometimes. It can also interfere with computer systems and electronic equipment, and in extreme cases can even become a fire risk. The anti-static kits that Strip Curtains Direct offer can really help to reduce these problems.
What is static electricity?
Static electricity has been defined: "a stationary electric charge built upon an insulating material," which can cause crackling or sparks. Low amperage current from static charges tends to be in the range of 30 volts to 50,000 volts which are harmless to humans usually; however, modern circuit boards can be damaged by charges as low as 30 to 50 volts.
How is the static electricity generated?
Unfortunately, modern buildings tend to be inherent static electricity generators with many people reporting shocks from touching metal objects such as door handles, handrails, filing cabinets and radiators. These electric shocks tend to be generated by the release of the electrical energy which has developed on their body by movement before they touched the electrical object. This movement could be something as simple as walking across a carpeted floor.
You may not know this, but human skin is very conducive in terms of electrostatic, and we tend to be insulated from the earth by the synthetic soles on our shoes. When we walk around our carpeted office, we create a small imbalance of charge with every step as our shoes come into contact with and then separate from the floor. If we shuffle our feet when walking as well, this will only increase the charging process - which can also be affected by humidity levels, type of footwear and material used on the floor.
Tackling the issue of Static Electricity
Static electricity has long been a serious issue in the workplace, especially for the petrochemical industry, for example. However, it is now affecting other businesses, offices and stores in a lesser way through electrical interference with computers and other electrical equipment. There are, however, various products available to help you to lessen this issue with anti-static strip curtains being one such product.
Plastic as a material tends to be an electrical insulator which means it can lead to a high static build up. Our anti-static PVC strip curtains have been formulated with anti-static additives to help lower the resistance of the plastic used within them so that the charges become more mobile and therefore less likely to cause static issues such as electrostatic discharge (ESD) or dust attraction. This makes them ideal for use in data centres and server environments as well as electronic manufacturing plants.
If you install anti-static strip curtains in your commercial premises, then you will also be able to take advantage of the other benefits that are associated with strip curtains- such as improved energy efficiency, and prevention of air and noise pollution.
