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Humidification and Ionization Limits
DoD Manual 4145.26 allows humidification and ionization to supplement a contractor’s ESD control program, but not to replace conductive floors and footwear where required. Army guidance and Germany’s TRGS 727 add their own restrictions based on materials, processes, hazardous locations, and ionizer types.
The rules below belong to the named documents and editions. A permission in one does not override a prohibition in another. For the broader context, see ESD flooring in hazardous areas.
DoD Manual 4145.26
- Edition
- 13 Mar 2008, Change 2
The DoD Contractor’s Safety Manual for Ammunition and Explosives, March 13, 2008, incorporating Change 2 of August 31, 2018, states the supplement-only rule in paragraph C6.6.3.
Paragraph C6.6.1 prohibits humidification with metallic powders unless a hazard analysis indicates that the powders are not susceptible to spontaneous ignition in air with 60% relative humidity. It also describes preoperational checks and regular humidity monitoring throughout the day.
Army DA Pam 385-64
- Edition
- 24 July 2023
The Army’s Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards, July 24, 2023, sets separate conditions:
- Humidity checks: Where humidification prevents static accumulation, check humidity daily before work starts.
- Material restrictions: Certain materials, including metallic powders and some pyrotechnic mixtures, cannot be exposed to air at 60% or higher relative humidity because of possible spontaneous ignition.
- Hazardous locations: Ionization methods of removing static charges must not be used in hazardous locations as defined in NFPA 70 and paragraph 16-2 of the pamphlet.
- Radioactive sources: Radioactive ionization sources require approval from the ACOM, ASCC, or DRU commander because of possible radioactive contamination during an ammunition or explosives accident or pyrotechnic fire.
The radioactive-source approval condition is separate from the hazardous-location prohibition.
TRGS 727: humidification
- Section
- 3.2.5
Germany’s TRGS 727, January 2016 edition corrected July 2016, distinguishes surface effects from charge dissipation in dust clouds and bulk material.
Under section 3.2.5, increased relative humidity can reduce surface resistance, but it must not be the sole measure in Zone 0. Adsorbed moisture can make some insulating surfaces dissipative, including glass and natural fibers. The effect does not hold for many other materials, including polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene. Humid air itself is insulating.
Humidification is unsuitable for dissipating charge from a dust cloud. See humidity and dust-cloud charge under TRGS 727 for the restrictions on dust-handling processes and the distinction between airborne and deposited material.
TRGS 727: ionization
- Section
- 3.2.6
Section 3.2.6 requires regular checks of ionization-device effectiveness. Its restrictions differ by device type:
| Ionizer type | Stated restriction |
|---|---|
| Passive ionizers, section 3.2.6.1 | Prohibited with hazardous substances of explosion group IIC; insufficient as the sole measure in Zone 0. |
| Active ionizers, section 3.2.6.2 | Prohibited with hazardous substances of explosion group IIC and prohibited in Zone 0. |
| Radioactive ionizers, section 3.2.6.3 | Prohibited in Zone 0. |
| Blowers with ionized air, section 3.2.6.4 | Prohibited in Zone 0. |
Active ionizers are suitable for neutralizing local charge accumulations, but their effectiveness depends substantially on correct selection, positioning, and regular cleaning. TRGS 727 also warns that heavily contaminated passive ionizers can cause ignition.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. DoD Manual 4145.26, March 2008 incorporating Change 2 of August 2018, permits humidification or ionization to supplement a contractor’s ESD control program, but not to replace conductive floors and footwear where required.
The manual prohibits humidification with metallic powders unless a hazard analysis indicates that the powders are not susceptible to spontaneous ignition in air with 60% relative humidity.
No. DA Pam 385-64, July 24, 2023, prohibits ionization methods of removing static charges in hazardous locations as defined in NFPA 70 and paragraph 16-2 of the pamphlet. Its separate commander-approval condition for radioactive sources does not remove that prohibition.
No. Section 3.2.5 prohibits increased relative humidity as the sole measure in Zone 0. Moisture can make some insulating surfaces dissipative, but this does not hold for many materials, including polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene.
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