Protective clothing electrostatic properties

EN 1149-5 specifies material performance and design requirements for protective clothing with electrostatic properties. These protective clothes are designed to avoid the risk of incendiary discharge (the formation of sparks), when for example an elbow or a knee is brushed against a wall or similar surface/object. This is vital when working with flammable materials such as gas or gasoline.

The material performance is based on the material’s surface resistivity, electrical resistance and charge decay. In order to be fully protected, all non-complying materials and conductive parts (zippers etc) should be fully covered. In addition, the person must be properly earthed by wearing shoes that allow static electricity to dissipate into the ground.

NOTE! EN1149-5 certification is not sufficient for work with fine electronics and similar sensitive electronics (microchips, printed circuit boards, cell phone assembly, etc). For this kind of work, you need protective clothing certified according to EN 61340.