Publish Time: 2025-07-04 Origin: Site
With the arrival of the 2024 Work Safety Month, we once again focus on the important topic of "Everyone Talks About Safety, Everyone Can Respond - Unblocking the Life Channel". In manufacturing, the scientific selection of personal protective equipment is crucial to ensuring employee safety. Among them, anti-static safety shoes and electrical insulating safety shoes are often confused, but their protective properties are mutually opposite and must not be mixed.
Core Difference Comparison
1. Protection Principles and Functions
Anti-Static Safety Shoes: Discharge human static electricity through conductive materials (such as conductive rubber, carbon fiber) to avoid charge accumulation that could generate sparks or attract dust.
Core Indicator: Surface resistance 10⁶-10⁹Ω, ensuring slow static discharge rather than rapid discharge.
Electrical Insulating Safety Shoes: Use insulating materials (such as rubber, polyvinyl chloride) to block current flow and prevent electric shock accidents.
Core Indicator: Insulation voltage ≥6kV (classified as 6kV, 10kV, etc. according to different levels), leakage current <1mA.
2. Structural Design Differences
Component | Anti-Static Safety Shoes | Electrical Insulating Safety Shoes |
---|---|---|
Sole Material | Conductive rubber, polyurethane with carbon powder | High-purity insulating rubber, polyvinyl chloride |
Upper Treatment | Breathable mesh + conductive fibers to ensure charge discharge | Fully enclosed rubber/leather to prevent moisture penetration affecting insulation |
Additional Functions | Usually combined with puncture resistance and wear resistance | Must pass voltage resistance test, no metal parts |
%1. Application Scenario Division
Anti-Static Safety Shoes Application Scenarios:
• Electronics Manufacturing: Semiconductor workshops, chip assembly lines (preventing electrostatic breakdown of components)
• Chemical/Petroleum: Flammable and explosive storage areas (avoiding electrostatic sparks causing explosions)
• Pharmaceutical/Food: Aseptic workshops (preventing electrostatic adsorption of dust contaminating products)
Electrical Insulating Safety Shoes Application Scenarios:
• Power Engineering: High-voltage line maintenance, substation operation and maintenance (environments with voltage ≤10kV)
• Industrial Maintenance: Live equipment operation (such as motor maintenance, circuit testing)
• Humid Environments: Outdoor operations in rainy seasons (must be used with insulating gloves)
Selection and Usage Misunderstandings
Common Misunderstandings:
1. "Anti-static shoes can prevent electric shock": × Anti-static shoes' conductive properties may increase electric shock risk
2. "The thicker the insulating shoes, the better": × Excessive thickness affects flexibility; should be selected according to voltage level
3. "One pair of shoes for all scenarios": × Electronic workshops and high-voltage environments require strict distinction
Correct Selection Steps:
1. Risk Assessment: Determine whether the work environment has electrostatic hazards or electric shock risks
2. Standard Verification: Anti-static shoes comply with GB 4385-2010; insulating shoes comply with GB 12011-2009
3. Regular Testing: Anti-static shoes' resistance tested every 6 months; insulating shoes' voltage resistance tested every 8 months
Maintenance and Scrap Standards
• Anti-Static Shoes: Scrap when surface resistance >10⁹Ω or sole wear >30%
• Electrical Insulating Shoes: Must be replaced when cracks, holes appear or insulation performance drops to 80% of standard value
Special Reminder: The two types of safety shoes cannot be worn simultaneously. In environments with both flammable/explosive and high-voltage hazards, zoning operations should be adopted and corresponding protective equipment replaced.