Five Key Elements to Remember Before Deciding ESD Safe Chair
                     FIVE KEY ELEMENTS TO REMEMBER BEFORE 
DECIDING ESD SAFE CHAIR
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ESD-SAFE WORK CHAIR
We feel the effects of static electricity so often, and usually it's quite harmless. But in Electronic workplaces such as an 
electronics assembly line or electronics testing laboratory, ESD or Electrostatic Discharge poses a serious danger. Not so much to the 
operators but to the high impedance microprocessor based PCB assemblies, Electronic equipments and components being worked upon.
Besides other equipment required to counter the effects of ESD, it is essential that you also equip your lab with specially and scientifically 
designed ESD safe furniture. Getting ESD safe chairs to complement your ESD work tables is definitely called for.
All design elements in an ESD chair including the ESD seats and backs, the mechanism for tilting, the hydraulic cylinder, the star base 
and the ESD casters should all be designed to conduct the ESD to be discharged to the ESD flooring in the respective laboratories.
So deciding to buy an ESD chair to minimize the risk of ESD is an important requirement. 
But how do you pick the right chair? Here are 5 qualities to look for:
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1. THIRD PARTY 
VERIFICATION
There are many ESD chairs available in the 
market that claim to be ESD safe. Ask for 
third party certification to ensure the chair 
has been tested and will deliver as 
advertised. From the chair seat and backrest 
to the ESD chair casters and other plastic or 
metal parts, every component should 
discharge static electricity as per recognized 
standards.
The world's leading manufacturers such as 
Werksitz (Germany) produce ESD chairs as 
per stringent international standards i.e. ANSI 
ESD S20.20-2014 defined by Electrostatic 
Discharge Association [ESDA], IEC-EN-61340-
S1 defined by The International Electro 
technical Commission.
While checking the Chair for its ESD 
properties, the resistive range while using a 
megger, should be in the range of (1*10^6) 
to (1*10^7) one megaohm to ten megaohm.
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2. ERGONOMICS
While your primary motive may be ESD protection, 
don't forget that the operator will be spending many 
hours at a stretch on the chair. The operator will also 
be reaching out to various instruments, bins, 
soldering iron and keyboards. For this he would be 
continuously moving left, right, up and down, so the 
chair selected should facilitate him to do it easily 
while supporting his back extensively. Long hours of 
such work without a properly designed chair, results 
in discomfort and thus loss of productivity. So comfort 
and ergonomics is extremely important. Ergonomic 
chairs are designed to promote good posture, 
promote productivity and minimise risks of workers 
developing injuries or problems from repetitive tasks 
or long hours of sitting.
The seat's height, depth and angle; the backrest's 
angle and lumbar support; the smooth movement of 
the casters; the supportive armrests - all this needs to 
be considered - and adjusted to serve individual 
employees. A chair that can be easily adapted for 
personal needs will assure sitting comfort and good 
back support. Moreover, the chair should be sturdy 
and well supported by heavy duty casters to allow 
smooth movement and prevent accidents.
The appropriate standard for this functionality is DIN 
68877 (occupational health and safety standard).
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3. WARRANTY
Check out the chair's warranty before choosing to buy. There will be cheaper options with little or no warranty, but such chairs are sure to 
be less effective and less durable. Your chair should come with at least a 3-5 year warranty, to ensure you're buying a good product from 
an excellent manufacturer. 
4. UPHOLSTERY
While deciding the seat covering for the seat and back of the chair, you have many choices and you have to choose appropriately.
Some find ESD PU more suitable, others find Synthetic leather or fabric more comfortable; some prefer a material that's stain-resistant 
and easy to clean. Depending on the needs of your workplace and operators, look for chair coverings that fulfill your needs while 
providing effective cover from static electricity. Please note that the ESD characteristic of the chair especially of the seat and back 
should not wear away with time. There are many cheaper chairs in the market where only an ESD spray is used over the material on the 
seat and back. This can soon wear off and you would have a chair with Zero ESD characteristic which is dangerous for the electronic 
circuits. As per ISO 9000, when your assembly or test unit is checked for ESD compliance, you will find that such chairs made by these 
poor quality manufacturers will not meet the desired parameters of ESD.
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MATERIALS CAN BE OF DIFFERENT TYPES:
1. Polyurethane: The PU chair has a 
typical material density of 300-700 
Kg/m3 and is directly molded into the 
shape of the seat/ backrest. This makes 
the chair extremely rugged, durable and 
wear resistant. The ESD type PU material 
is especially unique in its kind as it 
provides volumetric ESD properties and 
is washable with regular IPAs (Isopropyl 
Alcohol). 
ESD chemicals are mixed in the PU 
material at the time of molding, which 
gives it uniform ESD properties 
throughout its volume. This material can 
be used in non-certified ESD & 
cleanroom areas (>class10000), regular 
ESD areas and shop floors.
Refer Photo of “Messung ESD 
Thermoplastic PU Chair”
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MATERIALS CAN BE OF DIFFERENT TYPES:
2. Synthetic leather: This material 
needs to be upholstered over white PU 
foam with typical density of 50-55  
Kg/m3. 
ESD leatherette material is made by 
mixing ESD material with the resin at 
the time of manufacturing. This 
material is easily cleanable with IPAs, 
and can be used in non-certified ESD & 
cleanroom areas (>class10000) and 
regular ESD areas.
Ref photo of : “Messung ESD Synthetic 
Leather Chair”
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MATERIALS CAN BE OF DIFFERENT TYPES:
3. Fabric: This material needs to be 
upholstered over white PU foam with 
typical density of 50-55 Kg/m3. 
Fabric ESD material is prepared by 
interweaving ESD threads with regular 
fabric threads in an amount which helps 
achieve the ESD range as desired. 
Refer Photo: “Messung ESD Fabric 
Chair”
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5. REPUTED MANUFACTURER
It makes sense to check out the credentials of the manufacturer when buying ESD chairs. What is their experience and reputation? Do 
they have a good track record? Do they have a good service network? Will they customize products for you? Do they have expertise in 
ESD & Ergonomics domains? It always pays to go with a supplier you can trust.
Most important is that the manufacturer should follow international standards for manufacturing, especially the ISO 9001-2008.
CONCLUSION
ESD chairs are essential furniture equipment for environments working with static sensitive electronics and devices. If you're going to buy 
such chairs please evaluate the chairs on the basis of these five points to ensure you make the right choice, and keep not only your expensive 
electronics safe but also keep your workers happy, comfortable and productive for years.
Messung Group – the pioneer of automation industry in India, brings you Navonmesh – a unique initiative to make India proud with its best-in-
class Make in India capabilities. Under Navonmesh, Messung presents the AFM-PLUS Series of ESD worktables, ESD chairs and stools, test 
& measuring devices, antistatic workbench and testing equipment, and ergonomic solutions for the electronic industry.
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THANK 
YOU.
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