AS/NZS 1020:1995

Australian/New Zealand Standard

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The control of undesirable

static electricity
 AS/NZS 1020:1995

This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard was prepared by Joint Technical

Committee EL/25, Control of Undesirable Static Charges. It was approved on behalf
of the Council of Standards Australia on 20 December 1994 and on behalf of the
Council of Standards New Zealand on 12 December 1994. It was published on
5 March 1995.
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The following interests are represented on Committee EL/25:

Australia Post
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association
Australian Institute of Petroleum
Chemical Confederation of Australia
Department of Mineral Resources, N.S.W.
Department of Minerals and Energy, W.A.
Insurance Council of Australia
Plastics Industry Association
Plastics and Rubber Institute
Telecom Australia
WorkCover Authority of N.S.W.

Review of Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Joint Australian/New

Zealand Standards are subject to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue
of amendments or new editions as necessary. It is important therefore that Standards
users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any amendments
thereto.
Full details of all Joint Standards and related publications will be found in the
Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand Catalogue of Publications; this
information is supplemented each month by the magazines ‘The Australian Standard’
and ‘Standards New Zealand’, which subscribing members receive, and which give
details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of withdrawn
Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Joint Standards, addressed to the head office of either
Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand, are welcomed. Notification of any
inaccuracy or ambiguity found in a Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard should be
made without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action
taken.
 AS/NZS 1020:1995

Australian/New Zealand Standard

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The control of undesirable

static electricity

First publi shed in Austr alia as AS 1020— 1970.

Second editi on 1984.

First publi shed in New Zealand as NZS/AS 1020:1984.

Jointl y revised and designated as Joint Standard

AS/NZS 1020:1995.

PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY:

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
1 The Crescent,
Homebush NSW 2140 Australia

STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Level 10, Standards House,
155 The Terrace,
Wellington 6001 New Zealand
ISBN 0 7262 9569 8
 AS / NZS 1020:1995 2

PREFACE

This Joint Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand
Committee EL/25 on the Control of Undesirable Static Charges following a review of
AS 1020 —1984.
The major change to this Standard is that the referenced documents have been updated.
There are no technical changes. The Standard has also been published as a joint Standard
to reflect the common requirements applying in both countries.
The term ‘informative’ has been used in this Standard to define the application of the
appendix to which it applies. An ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and
guidance.
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 Copyright STANDARDS AUSTRALIA/ STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

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Except where the Copyright Act allows and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by
Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means
without prior permission in writing from Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand. Permission may be conditional on an appropriate
royalty payment. Australian requests for permission and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to the head
office of Standards Australia. New Zealand requests should be directed to Standards New Zealand.
Up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard may be copied for use exclusively in-house by purchasers of the
Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand.
Inclusion of copyright material in computer software programs is also permitted without royalty payment provided such programs
are used exclusively in-house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard
is amended or revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified.
The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial
contracts is subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be varied by Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand at any time.
 3 AS / NZS 1020:1995

CONTENTS
Page

SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. 7
1.2 PURPOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... . ... .. 7
1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS . . . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. ...... ... .. 7
1.4 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. ... . .. .. .. .. . ... .. ... .. 9

SECTION 2 GENERATION, INDUCTION AND DANGERS—

BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
2.1 GENERATION OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . 11
2.2 INDUCTION OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. .. . 11
2.3 COMMON SOURCES OF GENERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .... . 11
2.4 FIRE AND EXPLOSION DANGERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... . . 12
2.5 REMOVAL OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION DANGERS . . . . . . . . . .. ... . . 12
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2.6 WORKING SURFACES AND FLOOR SURFACE COVERINGS ... .. .. . 12

SECTION 3 STATIC DISCHARGES

3.1 NATURE OF STATIC DISCHARGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 ENERGY OF A STATIC DISCHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

SECTION 4 SOLID OBJECTS

4.1 SELECTION OF AN APPROPRIATE CONTROL METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.2 CONDUCTING OBJECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.3 NON-CONDUCTING OBJECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

SECTION 5 PERSONS
5.1 GENERAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... ..... 21
5.2 WEARING APPAREL (OTHER THAN FOOTWEAR) . . . . . .. .. .. ... . 21
5.3 EARTHING OF PERSONS BY FOOTWEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ........ 21
5.4 OTHER MEANS OF EARTHING PERSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ........ 22

SECTION 6 LIQUIDS
6.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.2 SELECTION AND APPLICATION OF AN APPROPRIATE
CONTROL METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.3 DISSIPATING CHARGE FROM INSTALLATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.4 DISSIPATING CHARGE FROM LIQUIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.5 CONDUCTIVITY IMPROVERS (ANTISTATIC ADDITIVES) . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.6 REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF STATIC DISCHARGES ABOVE
A LIQUID SURFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.7 AVOIDANCE OF TURBULENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.8 AVOIDANCE OF CONTAMINANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.9 AVOIDANCE OF HIGH FLOW VELOCITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.10 USE OF RELAXATION SECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.11 STATIC CHARGE REDUCERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.12 METALLIC PIPING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
 AS / NZS 1020:1995 4

Page

6.13 HOSES AND COUPLINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

6.14 FILLING OF VESSELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.15 NON-CONDUCTING VESSELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.16 TRANSFER OF SMALL QUANTITIES (less than 25 L) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.17 BLENDING AND MIXING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.18 SAMPLING FROM HIGH PRESSURE SOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.19 PNEUMATIC TRANSFER OF LIQUIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.20 SPRAYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
6.21 SWITCH LOADING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

SECTION 7 GASES
7.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 33
7.2 MINIMIZING STATIC GENERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 33
7.3 PREVENTION OF STATIC ACCUMULATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 33
7.4 REMOVAL OF IGNITABLE MATERIALS AND MIXTURES . . . . . . . .. . 33
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SECTION 8 DUSTS
8.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
8.2 MINIMIZING STATIC GENERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8.3 DISSIPATING CHARGE FROM EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

SECTION 9 POWDERED OR GRANULAR SOLIDS

9.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9.2 HANDLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
9.3 CONTROL OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

SECTION 10 DRIVE AND CONVEYOR BELTS

10.1 GENERATION OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
10.2 CONTROL OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

SECTION 11 EXPLOSIVES
11.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
11.2 ASSESSING THE HAZARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
11.3 MINIMIZING THE HAZARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

SECTION 12 PRINTING PROCESSES

12.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... .. .. .. .. ... 42
12.2 MINIMIZING STATIC GENERATION . . . . . . . . . .. ... ... .... .. ... 42
12.3 PREVENTION OF STATIC ACCUMULATION . . . .. .. .. .. ... . .. ... 43
12.4 REMOVAL OF IGNITABLE MIXTURES . . . . . . . .. .. ... . .... .. ... 43

SECTION 13 COATING, SPREADING AND IMPREGNATING

13.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
13.2 CONTROL OF STATIC AND REMOVAL OF IGNITABLE MIXTURES . . 44
 5 AS / NZS 1020:1995

Page

SECTION 14 PROCESSING AND CONVERSION OF PLASTICS

AND RUBBER MATERIALS
14.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. ... 45
14.2 GENERATION OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. 45
14.3 CONTROL OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . 45
14.4 SOLUTION CASTING OF FILM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. ... 46
14.5 END-USE APPLICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. 46

SECTION 15 DRYCLEANING
15.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
15.2 CONTROL OF STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

SECTION 16 SUNDRY PROCESSES INVOLVING FLAMMABLE

AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
16.1 LOADING AND UNLOADING ROAD TANKERS . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 49
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16.2 RAIL TANK WAGONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . . . 49

16.3 FUELLING AND DEFUELLING AIRCRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . . . 49
16.4 LOADING AND UNLOADING TANKERS AND BARGES . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
16.5 FUELLING MOTOR VEHICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . . . 49
16.6 TRANSFER OF ETHER AND CARBON DISULPHIDE . . . . . . . .. .. . . . 49

SECTION 17 SUNDRY PROCESSES INVOLVING PRESSURIZED GAS

17.1 DISCHARGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17.2 MIXTURES OF HYDROGEN OR ACETYLENE WITH AIR . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17.3 TRANSFER OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17.4 STEAM JETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17.5 SPRAY PAINTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

SECTION 18 HANDLING OF ELECTROSTATIC SENSITIVE DEVICES

18.1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 51
18.2 BASIC PROTECTION PRINCIPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 51
18.3 LABELLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 51
18.4 TYPES OF PACKAGES AVAILABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 51

SECTION 19 DETECTION OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL OR ELECTRIC FIELD

STRENGTH
19.1 GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .. . . .. . . 53
19.2 NEON LAMPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . 53
19.3 ELECTROSCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... .. .. . . .. . . 53
19.4 OTHER METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... .. .. . . .. . . 53

SECTION 20 MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL OR ELECTRIC FIELD

STRENGTH
20.1 MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL WITH
CONTACTING INSTRUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
 AS / NZS 1020:1995 6

Page

20.2 MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND ELECTRIC

FIELD STRENGTH WITH NON-CONTACTING INSTRUMENTS . . . . . . . 55
20.3 CALIBRATION OF NON-CONTACTING ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTS 57
20.4 MEASUREMENTS IN HAZARDOUS AREAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

SECTION 21 DETERMINATION OF CAPACITANCE

21.1 CALCULATION OF CAPACITANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
21.2 CAPACITANCE MEASUREMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

SECTION 22 MEASUREMENT OF CHARGES

22.1 MEASUREMENT OF STATIC CHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

SECTION 23 MEASUREMENT OF RESISTANCE OR CONDUCTANCE

23.1 GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 66
23.2 RESISTANCE OF EARTHING CIRCUITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 66
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23.3 RESISTANCE OF MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... 66

23.4 PERSONNEL RESISTANCE TESTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 66
23.5 LIQUID CONDUCTIVITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . 67

APPENDICES
A EXAMPLES OF SOLVING PRACTICAL PROBLEMS RESULTING
FROM STATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
B FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
C METHOD FOR LAYING AND EARTHING CONDUCTING FLOORING . . 78
D APPROXIMATE MINIMUM IGNITION ENERGIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
E CONDUCTING COATINGS FOR DRIVE AND CONVEYOR
BELTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
 7 AS / NZS 1020:1995

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA / STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Australian/New Zealand Standard

The control of undesirable static electricity

S E C T I O N 1 S CO P E A N D G E NE R A L

1.1 SCOPE This Standard sets out recommendations for controlling static electricity
(hereinafter referred to as ‘static’) which may be generated incidentally by processes or
activities and which may present hazards, damage or inconvenience.
Considerations relating to the generation of static and the problems it presents in a given
environment are given, together with a description of methods and equipment for
measuring electric potential, charge, capacitance and resistance parameters associated with
electrostatically charged objects. Specific control methods are given for some industries.
The provisions of the standard should not be regarded as overriding statutory
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requirements, but may be construed as working recommendations to be used in

conjunction with such requirements.
Methods for minimizing the risk of static causing a fire or explosion arising from the use
of flammable medical agents are not included, as they are given in AS 1169. Similarly,
methods for affording protection from lightning are not included, as these are given in
AS/NZS 1768, nor does this standard include the earthing systems of patient treatment
areas in hospitals and the like.
NOTE: Examples of the solving of some practical problems resulting from static are given in
Appendix A.

1.2 PURPOSE Static often causes the inadvertent ignition of flammable mixtures. In
other instances it can result in inconvenience or operating problems in industrial and
commercial processes.
The purpose of this standard is therefore to assist in reducing the fire, explosion, damage
and nuisance value associated with static, by promoting a better understanding of the
principles relating to its generation, outlining conditions under which its presence causes
these problems, and recommending methods for its safe dissipation or mitigation.

1.3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

1.3.1 Standards The following documents are referred to in this Standard:
AS
1000 The International System of Units (SI) and its application
1169 Minimizing of combustion hazards arising from the medical use of flammable
anaesthetic agents
1332 Conveyor belting — Textile reinforced
1596 LP gas— Storage and handling
1841 Portable fire extinguishers
1841.1 Part 1: General requirements
1841.7 Part 7: Vapourizing-liquid type
1852 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
1940 The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids

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AS/NZS 1020:1995 The control of undesirable

static electricity
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