We all have been to the science museum, and most of them have a static ball area inside. We can see kids touching it and get their hair to stand, people laugh a lot there and obviously they have fun there.
In fact, static electricity can be a nuisance or even a danger. The energy stands your hair can also damage electronics and cause explosions.
As we all know human body is 60% water and that makes us conductors, electric charge can pass through us, and electricity is carried by protons and electrons.
So when we are touch different materials in the daily life, for example, carpet, sweater, we create static electricity and electrons move from the former and wait for "charge".
Meanwhile, when an object is earthed, it is an insulator, for example, your TV in the living room, when a conductor get touches with an insulator, the electrons accumulated would be discharged immediately and create static.
We all had this kind of experience of finger "shock" on the door knob, kitchen table, car, etc, sometimes we can even see sparks in the dark, that is static.
It makes your finger numb and actually it can do more.
When static electricity build up in clouds and release, that will be a big flow of charge through the atmosphere, and we call that lightning.
A sudden discharge of high voltage even can provide a source of ignition for flammable substance.
Big flow of electric charge can be harmful to your body.
When the charge flows through your body, you might get electric shock.
And this could even cause burns or even stop your heart.
That brings death to people.
So in all industries, static proof is a MUST.
The most common solution is earthling, or we call grounding. When an object get touched with the earth, the static it carries would be discharged to the earth and keeps the object safe. At most work places, it is very common to see a column with a touch ball on top, that is a static releasing device, it is grounded and you need to touch it before you enter the work place, Just in order to eliminate the electrons you carried with you.
For storage at your workplace and lab, static proof is also something you need to consider about, unless you want a little "electron discharge" when you touch the cabinet. Which means, your cabinet needs grounding.
Normally, when we ship out our cabinets, there are grounding cables with it as default config, but if you need better grounding to it, special made grounding wires would be an good idea. Those wires come with clamps or rings for proper grounding at different locations, when you link it to earth and your cabinet, the grounding is done, and the electrons carried by operator would be discharged and lead to the earth.
We suggest you to check out your lab equipment and cabinets for proper grounding, make sure they static proof and that would bring safety to your staff, and also your workplace.
