ESD TR53-01-22 describes how to check an installed ESD floor’s resistance to ground during routine compliance verification. The floor is measured against a previously verified grounding reference, and the result is evaluated against the facility’s ESD control program requirements.
Craftsman Concrete provides routine resistance testing for floors installed by Craftsman and other contractors, with mapped readings and documented test conditions for the facility’s ESD program team. Our ESD floor testing services support initial testing and subsequent comparisons using an established test-point map.
What the routine floor check covers
TR53-01-22 covers installed permanent and portable flooring, floors treated with specialized finishes, coatings or paints, floor mats and other flooring methods intended to control electrostatic charge or discharge.
The flooring procedure measures resistance between a single electrode on the floor and ground. It does not measure a person standing on the floor.
TR53-01-22 directs that flooring be verified as part of a footwear/flooring system (section 7.3.9). Section 7.2.3 contains separate procedures for footwear-system resistance and flooring-system resistance. This page covers the flooring portion in section 7.2.3.2.
Product qualification is outside TR53’s scope. The S20.20 footwear/flooring qualification guide explains the evidence required before a combination is used for personnel grounding.
Personnel and equipment
Verification must be performed by competent personnel familiar with the equipment and the ESD control items being checked.
The resistance measurement apparatus must provide:
- 10 volts, ±5%, for measurements below 1.0 × 10^6 ohms.
- 100 volts, ±5%, for measurements at or above 1.0 × 10^6 ohms.
The voltage tolerance applies both with the meter open circuit and under load (section 6.13). The measurement electrode must meet the requirements of section 6.14.
Before testing, check the meter, electrodes and leads using the applicable procedure. The guide to verifying the resistance measurement setup covers those equipment checks.
Measure the floor as found
TR53 recommends verification where electrostatic-discharge-sensitive items are likely to reside or be handled. The purpose is to assess the floor’s condition in service.
The floor should not be modified before verification by cleaning, rubbing or moving it.
Connect to a verified grounding reference
Connect the meter’s negative terminal to a previously verified ESD grounding/bonding reference point. Connect the positive terminal to the resistance measurement electrode and place the electrode on the flooring area being verified.
The reference may use an equipment grounding conductor or an auxiliary ground as described in section 7.1. The grounding-reference guide explains the different configurations and verification considerations.
Apply the TR53 voltage sequence
Section 7.2.3.2.1 specifies the following sequence:
- Apply 10 volts and wait 5 seconds or until the apparatus stabilizes.
- If the indicated resistance is below 1.0 × 10^6 ohms, observe the result.
- If the indicated resistance is 1.0 × 10^6 ohms or greater, switch to 100 volts and retest. Observe the result after the apparatus stabilizes or after 15 seconds.
Evaluate the reading against the program’s criterion
The measured resistance must be evaluated against the requirement applicable to the organization’s ESD control program.
ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 Table 2 gives a flooring resistance-to-ground compliance verification limit below 1.0 × 10^9 ohms. Footnote 7 identifies that limit as the maximum allowed value and recommends using the documented qualification resistance values associated with body-voltage results below 100 volts.
Identify the applicable verification criterion in the facility’s testing plan before measurements begin. The routine verification resistance limits explain how qualification records inform that decision.
Resistance measurements obtained through TR53 must not be used to determine personnel safety from exposure to high AC or DC voltages.
Troubleshoot the equipment before attributing a result to the floor
TR53-01-22 provides equipment troubleshooting checks for the footwear/flooring procedures (section 7.2.3.3):
- Check for loose, broken or disconnected test leads.
- Inspect electrodes for contamination. Clean them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and allow adequate drying before retesting.
- Verify that the meter and appropriate leads can measure above and below the expected resistance range.
- Verify the electrodes with the meter and appropriate leads across that range.
The cleaning instruction here applies to the electrodes. It does not replace the recommendation to verify the floor in its as-found condition.
Set intervals and preserve comparability
The organization determines sample sizes and verification intervals. TR53 recommends basing those decisions on how critical the ESD control items are to its program.
TR53 also recommends initial verification when the floor is brought into service, followed by checks using the same techniques and the same or similar equipment.
S20.20-2021 requires the compliance verification plan to identify the items tested periodically and their testing frequency (section 7.4). The ESD floor retest-frequency guide distinguishes scheduled checks from maintenance and event-triggered checks.
Frequently asked questions
No. The flooring procedure measures resistance between an electrode on the floor and a previously verified grounding/bonding reference. TR53 includes a separate footwear-system procedure. Neither should be confused with the STM97.1 qualification measurement of a person wearing footwear while standing on the flooring.
TR53 recommends checking the floor as found, without cleaning, rubbing or moving it beforehand. Its troubleshooting instruction to clean contaminated electrodes applies to the measurement equipment, following the manufacturer’s recommendations and allowing adequate drying.
When the indicated resistance at 10 volts is 1.0 × 10^6 ohms or greater. First apply 10 volts and wait 5 seconds or until the apparatus stabilizes. At or above the threshold, retest at 100 volts and observe the result after stabilization or after 15 seconds.
No. Product qualification is excluded from TR53-01-22. Its procedures check ESD control items after the control procedures have been established and implemented, helping identify significant performance changes and verify compliance with the organization’s program.