Pre-installation qualification under ANSI/ESD STM97.1-2025 requires at least three flooring samples and three pairs of footwear, with the footwear pairs labeled 1 to 3 (section 6.1.1). The flooring samples, referred to as specimens in STM97.1, must represent the flooring system as it will be installed.
What must each flooring sample include?
Size, seams and installation components
Section 6.1.2 establishes the following requirements:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum size | At least 910 mm by 910 mm |
| Seams | Include a seam if the installed product has seams |
| System components | Include all components as they will be used in the installation |
| Groundable points | Two separate groundable points at opposite corners, simulating the intended grounding methods |
For tile installed with adhesive, the sample must include the tile, appropriate adhesive, grounding system and substrate used in the final installation. Results may vary with the flooring-system components used.
Floor mats with one groundable point
If the sample is a floor mat with only one groundable point, only that point is tested. This exception does not reduce the minimum of three flooring samples and three pairs of footwear.
Which footwear should be supplied?
Footwear intended for use after installation
STM97.1-2025 recommends using footwear intended for use with the flooring system after installation. If several footwear types are planned, it recommends evaluating the other types under section 6.1 before installation.
The requirement for three pairs and the recommendation to evaluate the intended footwear types address different questions. Supplying three pairs does not, by itself, establish that the evaluation covers every footwear type planned for the facility.
Give the testing organization the proposed flooring assembly and intended footwear types. The qualification planning guide covers conditioning, measurements and reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
STM97.1-2025 section 6.1.1 requires at least three flooring samples and three pairs of footwear, with the pairs labeled 1 to 3. Each flooring sample must be at least 910 mm by 910 mm.
For tile intended to be installed with adhesive, the qualification sample must represent the complete assembly, including the tile, appropriate adhesive, grounding system and final installation substrate. Testing the tile alone does not represent that assembly.
No. STM97.1-2025 permits a floor mat with only one groundable point to be tested at that point. The exception does not reduce the minimum sample or footwear-pair counts.