During the winter months, when outdoor temperatures are cooler, the reduction in relative humidity due to heating the air to a comfortable working temperature is much greater than during the summer. Therefore, the trend is for static problems to become much more of a problem during the winter, especially in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Alan P. McCartney’s article, “Static Electricity & Relative Humidity,” from the latest issue of the Fire Protection Practice Specialty’s publication Fireline, clears up many of the common misconceptions about static electricity and shows how understanding the effect of relative humidity on materials’ electrostatic properties can help prevent static hazards.
Click here to learn how you can protect employees from static hazards in the workplace this winter.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers