While working in the office, many times one suddenly feels a slight shock as soon as one touches a door knob, computer keyboard, file cabinet or any metal object. This shock is not real electric current, but a shock of static electricity. When an electric charge slowly builds up on the body and you touch a conductive surface, that charge immediately discharges, producing a mild prick-like shock. It is not harmful, but if it happens again and again, it can cause a lot of trouble. Let’s understand why this happens and how to stop it.
The biggest reason is dry air, especially in winter or due to continuous use of AC, the humidity in the office becomes very low. When there is less humidity in the air, electrons easily accumulate on the body. When humidity is below 30%, the risk of static shock increases further. Additionally, synthetic items used in offices such as plastic chairs, nylon carpets, polyester clothing and rubber-soled shoes increase friction and cause static charge to accumulate rapidly.
cause of static shock
One reason for static shock is the high-tech environment of the office. Computers, printers, fluorescent lights and other electronic machines continuously release a light charge into the air. When you touch a plastic table, keyboard or any metal surface, that charge immediately exits the body. At the same time, if your skin is dry or you keep moving all day, then it becomes easier for electric charge to accumulate on the body, which causes frequent shocks.
Easy home remedies to stop shock
The easiest way to prevent static electricity shock is to keep the skin moisturized. Dry skin attracts electrons more, so by applying lotion or moisturizer on your hands, your skin becomes slightly conductive and the charge gets discharged slowly, without any shock. Apart from this, you can also use anti-static spray. Mix ordinary fabric softener in water and spray it on clothes or carpet or use ready-made anti-static spray available in the market. With this, your clothes and surrounding surfaces will hold less charge.
An effective solution is grounding. Before touching any metal object, lightly place your metal key or chain on that surface. This will discharge the electric charge slowly and you will not get a shock. If you want, you can put a small metal clip in the shoes, which will keep you grounded while walking and will not allow static to accumulate on the body.
Increasing humidity and wearing the right clothes will also make a difference.
Since dry air is the biggest cause of static electricity, shocks can be prevented to a great extent by increasing humidity. Keep a glass filled with water on your desk, use a small humidifier or hang a wet cloth in the room. These small measures increase moisture in the air and prevent the formation of static charge. Besides, choice of clothes is also important. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon build up static charges, while cotton clothes hold less charge. Similarly, wearing leather soled shoes also keeps the charge grounded and reduces the chances of getting a shock.
