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Can anyone advise the circumstances which require conductive footwear (rather that the bog-standard "antistatic")? For example, labs requiring ATEX-rated equipment. And are there any ongoing maintenance checks on such PPE? I have areas with small pockets of Zone 2 and Zone 21 around equipment.
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I could be wrong but I’d have thought that conductive footwear is intended to protect sensitive electronic components from static rather than to prevent fire and explosion.
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel  I could be wrong but I’d have thought that conductive footwear is intended to protect sensitive electronic components from static rather than to prevent fire and explosion.
Thanks A. I belive this is relevant to other industries too - eg solvents, which my processes use ... http://www.solvents.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SIA-Guidance-Note-62-PPE-Selection-for-Working-in-Flammable-Areas.pdf
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 1 user thanked knotty for this useful post.
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not the first time i have been wrong!
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So the flooring is conductive also to allow the shoes to earth ? ( I admit I have not had time to fully read your link but looks interesting.) Chris
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Originally Posted by: chris42 So the flooring is conductive also to allow the shoes to earth ? ( I admit I have not had time to fully read your link but looks interesting.) Chris
Yes - Chris - I have verbal assurances that the flooring is conductive. Proving it is another matter.
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel not the first time i have been wrong!
From what I see, it is a very rare occurrence!
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Originally Posted by: knotty Originally Posted by: chris42 So the flooring is conductive also to allow the shoes to earth ? ( I admit I have not had time to fully read your link but looks interesting.) Chris
Yes - Chris - I have verbal assurances that the flooring is conductive. Proving it is another matter.
Could you just use a simple multi meter, set to continuity and touch the red and black probes to the floor and see if it beeps ( the same as if you touch the probe ends together). Just a thought.
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That is actually a cunning plan - thank you. Edited by user 07 February 2022 14:53:30(UTC)
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The DSEAR ACoP refers to the use of antistatic footwear. This gives the protection against static buildup on a person but still gives them protection in the event of coming into contact with live electrics.
In my 20 years in the chemical industry we only ever allowed antistatic footwear.and never had a problem. Edited by user 07 February 2022 15:26:15(UTC)
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Knotty What's the solvent in question?
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel Knotty What's the solvent in question?
Many solvents are used in this industrial setting. Acetone is the lowest flashpoint chemical in the room.
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Your DSEAR Risk Assessment if done correctly will tell you the need for what type of footware is required.
It should also have captured and recomend that the Electrically conductive flooring should be tested and recorded every 11 or 12 months using an ESD Tester and depending upon the size of the floor this can be multiple results set out in a grid pattern.
This should originally have been tested upon installation of the Electrically Conductive flooring, then at 3 and 9 months after installation to ensure it has settled and is operating correctly, before the 11 or 12 month frequency test is put in place
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Bit late to this and purely for info, when I served in the Royal Navy (1984 to 2005) all safety boots (steaming bats to them's as know) were electrically conductive because of the very real proximity of explosives and similar, even for non weapons types we all could come into contact with things that go bang.
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You need to read/obtain the following British Standard PD CLC/TR 60079-32-1:2018 Explosive atmospheres Electrostatics hazards and guidance. There is a very useful reference table in this document that recommends in which hazardous area zones antistatic clothing and footwear is required. Zone 2 its unlikely that you will need anti static clothing and footwear - depends on the activity being carried out. Zone 21 not required. If you require further DSEAR advice drop me a line. Yes I know you have all the informtion you requested, for free!!
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Originally Posted by: Ian Bell2 You need to read/obtain the following British Standard PD CLC/TR 60079-32-1:2018 Explosive atmospheres Electrostatics hazards and guidance. There is a very useful reference table in this document that recommends in which hazardous area zones antistatic clothing and footwear is required. Zone 2 its unlikely that you will need anti static clothing and footwear - depends on the activity being carried out. Zone 21 not required. If you require further DSEAR advice drop me a line. Yes I know you have all the informtion you requested, for free!!
Lets hope the Zone 21 you mentioned as not needing anti static flooring is not a combustible dust or explosives with a minimum ignition energy of above 1mJ off which I know of over 100 combustible dusts in that range that are being processed in the Zone 21. And thats excluding explosives themselves in the 100 dusts above. I know explosives fall outside the scope of DSEAR but under DSA 03 OME PART 2 JSP 482 you still apply DSEAR Hazardous Zones in order to manage the electircal systems and ATEX equipment in those areas in which the explosives are being processed.
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From from the starting post we don't know what the materials are, other than small Zone 2 and Zone 21 have been assessed as being present.
Nobody mentioned explosive materials until you raised it.
As with you, I spend most of my time working in the area of DSEAR assessment & compliance/hazardous area classification and general process safety - so I'm very well versed in the various UK guidance standards and documents.
Table 21 is the guidance in the mentioned standard from the 60079 series.
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