Best Practices to Remove Static Electricity & ESD in Manufacturing

Editor's note: This post has been updated in August 2025 for comprehensiveness.

In manufacturing, static electricity isn’t just annoying to deal with; it’s a silent threat that can lead to safety hazards, costly downtime, and product defects.

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I get rid of static electricity on the production floor?”, the answer lies in choosing the right ESD (electrostatic discharge) control solutions for your application. 

This guide will show you how to eliminate static with proven, easy-to-implement strategies. From grounding systems to humidity control and anti-static materials, we’ll cover the essential tools, techniques, and best practices that manufacturing professionals trust to keep operations safe, efficient, and compliant.

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How to Remove ESD| How to Avoid ESD | Still Having Static Issues? |
 What are Ionizers? | Additional Resources 

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The Why and How to Remove Static Electricity and Electrostatic Discharge

Discover the ‘why’ behind ESD and the practical, step-by-step solutions you can start using today. From proven grounding techniques to smart environmental controls, you’ll get clear, actionable guidance to eliminate static and safeguard your entire manufacturing process. 

New to ESD? Learn what it is and why it’s a serious concern for manufacturers in our quick guide: Static Electricity & ESD – Why It Matters.

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Best Practices to Avoid ESD in Manufacturing Environments

1. Avoid Moving Air

Did you know that moving air can cause enough friction to ionize materials? It is especially true for the synthetic materials.

Avoid: 

• Placing products and electrical equipment near fans, HVAC vents, or other air-moving systems.
• Cleaning electronics with compressed air (unless it’s ionized air, which we’ll cover later).

2. Remove Rugs and Carpets

As a kid, you may have rubbed your feet on a rug to get your hair to stand up on end or to give someone a zap. This may have been fun then, but it's not wanted in your plant today!

Solutions:

• Remove rugs and carpets wherever possible.
• If remodeling isn’t an option, treat flooring with anti-static compounds.
• Use anti-static floor mats to reduce charge buildup.
  
  

3. Use Grounding Devices to Dissipate Charge

Grounding devices don’t remove existing static, but they prevent it from building up. Some examples include: 

Still Struggling with Static? Find the Source First.

If following the best practices above isn’t stopping ESD events, the next step is to pinpoint exactly where static is building up. You can’t eliminate the problem until you know where it lives.

That's where we come in. 

The most accurate way to do this is to have a professional, like Airline, come on-site to take precise measurements. We not only locate the hotspots but also recommend the most cost-effective, long-term solutions tailored to your facility. Contact us today to schedule an on-site consultation.