EN 1815 Flexible and Laminate Flooring - Evaluation of Static Electrical Tendency

A European standard, EN 1815, defines a test method for determining the body voltage generated when a person wearing standardized shoes walks on flexible or laminate flooring. This test method is used in laboratory conditions as well as in situ.

Under unfavorable conditions, a person can become electrically charged when walking on floor coverings. This is caused by the contact between the shoe sole material and the ground material during walking. Meanwhile, opposite electric charges are created on the person and the floor covering. Thus, a person is electrostatically charged by increasing body tension. This condition then causes painful discharges.

The EN 1815 standard is one of the standard tests applied for the classification of floor coverings. This standard defines a test method for examining body voltage. The electrical resistance of floor coverings is measured according to EN 1081 and EN 61340-4-1 standards.

For the purposes of the EN 1815 standard, the static electricity trend refers to the load bias created by a person walking on the floor covering. Grounded refers to that part of the earth that is considered conductive, the electric potential traditionally taken as zero.

In principle, with an operator using a floor covering, a pair of standard sandals,

• Floor covering placed on a grounded metal base plate (flexible floor coverings), or
• A polyethylene foam or polyethylene foil placed over a grounded metal base plate (laminate floor coverings)

It is evaluated for static electricity propensity with a walk-on test.

Static electricity is sometimes correctly blamed for many fires and explosions. Many static charges flow rapidly to the ground as soon as they build up. However, if a charge builds up on a non-conductive or ungrounded conductor, the static electricity can persist for some time.

Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides flexible and laminate floor coverings, evaluation of static electrical tendency services within the scope of EN 1815 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.