7 things to remember in order to get properly dressed for work.
Many companies in the electronics industry are struggling with problems resulting from damage to sensitive components due to ESD. Of course, there can be many reasons for this, but practice shows that they are often the result of using the wrong workwear – poorly chosen or of bad quality.
The risk of not following this seemingly simple and obvious procedure can expose a company to significant losses. However, despite this common knowledge, there are still instances where product defects can be linked to failures in maintaining ESD procedures regarding workers’ clothing.
Seemingly small shortcomings – such as threads sticking out of the seams or badly made antistatic fabric that loses its properties after several washings – turn out to be an indirect cause of damage to sensitive components. In extreme cases this kind of seemingly small errors can result in the loss of test results or the need to recall defective products.
The person responsible for equipping staff with antistatic clothing – usually the ESD coordinator – thus faces an important task. In the following article we will look at the factors that need to be taken into account when selecting clothing for ESD zones. The first and quite obvious step is to select proven and certified solutions. It is important to make sure that the properties of the clothing we use have been confirmed by independent institutions and meet the standards for use in EPA zones. The easiest way to start is to check whether the product bears the CE safety mark. By marking its product with this sign, the manufacturer declares that it meets the requirements of all directives relating to it.
The next step to minimize the risk is to take into account the washing and maintenance procedures for clothing. Antistatic clothes should not be washed in uncontrolled conditions, even in commercial laundries that are not specialised in this area. Following the manufacturer’s recommendations, appropriate procedures can be implemented in your own structures or delegated to a third party. Reliable clothing suppliers should also provide ongoing maintenance services.
Another key aspect is the already mentioned quality. The selection of suitable, tested materials and precision in manufacturing make the difference between confidence that the product has and maintains antistatic properties and unnecessary risk. In order to be able to properly assess the quality of the product, it is important to get acquainted with the opinions of its long-term users, as well as to pay attention to the product finish.
When choosing ESD clothing, you should not also overlook the comfort of use. The garment must be loose-fitting enough not to hamper movement, while at the same time being snug enough to not interfere with precise tasks.
It should also be remembered that the clothes we choose will be everyday life for all employees of the ESD zone. Uncomfortable items of clothing, such as those causing abrasions or skin irritation, will obviously be disliked by staff, what may reduce their productivity.
Ensuring user comfort will always be easier if we choose a brand with a wide range of products. This applies in particular to sizes, types of clothing and cuts to suit different silhouettes – of both men and women.
An important element is also the possibility of personalizing the clothes, i.e. ordering clothes visually adjusted to our needs, e.g. by embroidering the company’s logo or creating clothes in the right colour or pattern. This need may have both aesthetic and practical dimensions – e.g. allowing for identification of employees of particular departments of the company by means of clothing. The advantage resulting from direct cooperation with the manufacturer or its accredited supplier is obvious.
As can be seen, choosing the right clothes is not as simple as one might think. Therefore it is good to refer to the knowledge and experience of the expert. On the Polish market such an expert is RENEX – a comprehensive supplier of equipment for the electronics industry. Thanks to 30 years of experience in the industry, the company undoubtedly knows the reality of electronics production and service. For 15 years, under its REECO brand, it has also been manufacturing equipment, clothing and accessories for EPA zones and laboratories.
In addition to the highest quality ESD clothing, REECO, in line with its mission to provide comprehensive service to its customers, also offers industrial furniture for ESD zones and equipment such as antistatic bands with a grounding wire and antistatic mats – for tabletops and floors – anti-fatigue. This ensures full protection in the EPA zone.
REECO’s offer also includes clothing designed for cleanrooms, where clothing is one of the critical criteria behind process reliability and safety. It is also worth mentioning that RENEX, under the CLEANROOM and CLEANSYS brands, also provides a full range of services and products for such areas.
By choosing comprehensive REECO brand solutions, ESD coordinators and employers are guaranteed the highest quality products created by industry specialists.