Safety Considerations

Safety is an issue, issue that cannot be overlooked. Hence commercial carpet must be purchased keeping the security standards in mind. Some of the safety issues pertaining commercial carpets are :

Flammability
Commercial carpets should also meet the flammability standards. Because the carpets can, in case of fire might help in the spreading of the fire. Especially in the United States, the manufacturers of the commercial carpets have to meet certain federal standards. Such types of standards also exist in Western European countries. Hence if you are purchasing carpet make sure that it meets all the safety standards.

The carpets that are manufactured and imported in the United States of America must pass the pill test.

In this test eight specimen are chosen and it is specified that out of chosen specimen, no more than one specimens should burn from a distance of three inches from the point of ignition. The pill test subjects a carpet or rug to a condition similar to a lighted cigarette, match or a fireplace ember.

Electrostatic Discharge
Electrostatic properties of the commercial carpet has always been the matter of concern. This concern is important because of two reasons:

• The first involves the threshold of human static discharge sensitivity
• The second involves electronic sensitivity.

In the first case it is advisable to specify a permanent built-in static control system because static shock and human comfort is predicted to be a concern. For general commercial areas the carpet that does not exceed a 3.5 kilovolt(kV) level is usually acceptable. However for more critical commercial areas, a 2.0 kV is an accepted upper limit.

The electrostatic propensity of carpet should also be inquired. It is a laboratory simulation that assesses the static-generating tendency developed when a person walks across a carpeted area. Static generation is influenced by humidity conditions. It is advisable to purchase that commercial carpet that has maximum kilovolt level of performance because this carpet will satisfy the majority of commercial carpet applications.

In the current scenario the offices employ various electronic devices. This make the carpet even more susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage. It is suggested that appropriate floorings, of any type, may also need to be static dissipative in addition to being low in their kilovolt performance levels.

Comfort and Safe walking
Comfortability and the safe walking should be the other considerations. The carpet should be soft and resilient as it reduces the impact and the associated muscle tiredness and joint pain, especially in the lower back. This is because the soft and resilient carpet absorbs energy when compressed. The energy absorption also reduces the risk of injuries arising from falls