Offtopic - static problems

[englishgirl1]

Completely unsecurity related (sorry), but I wondered if anyone knew a decent cure for static. My secretary now refuses to come in my office since I got her last week, she handed me a document and got a really nasty hit from my fingers (although it did teach her an important lesson about emailing things rather than hammering on my door).

I crash....well everything actually, I'm banned from the server room at work, have to wear cotton gloves and wristbands - for normal use - and I frequently trip out light switches casting my colleagues into darkness (they like it - it helps them sleep).

I have no carpets so it's not that, I'm not rubbing myself with balloons in my sleep or anything *that would just be weird* so I have no idea what's causing it. Anybody know how to stop this, the *electric personality* jokes are wearing thin.


Rachel

[SoggyBottom]

Maybe try and change what shoes you wear... Im no electrical expert, but I recall something about certain shoe soles can cause static electricity.

Maybe you have a good excuse to go around the office in bare feet. I wish that I had such an excuse...

[rcgreen]

Increasing the humidity should help.

[thread_killer]

Definately get a humidifier. Don't wear wool.....um, what else. Rubber soled shoes too. Also, try to discharge static deliberately when ever you can, before you touch something. Any metal that is part of the structure of the building should send all that juice in you to ground.

Of course, some people are just like that. I had a co-worker who I've witnesed crash servers just by getting too close to them. Personally, I can't wear a watch. They stop dead on me within a week. My grandmother was the same way.

[Tedob1]

spray the area with downey fabric softener...if i don't i find myself getting really painfull shocks...spray the seats too.

you'll need to repeat the process every few days but it sure as hell beats those shocks and a small bottle lasts a long time

[GandalfTheGray]

By the way -- when you touch a conductor to discharge yourself, use the back of your fingers. It will hurt less if you have built up a large static charge.

[whitedragon]

Static electricity is an electrical imbalance on the surface of a material in this case your body for some reason.
A humidifier will help you, also wrist straps, and there are some anti static sprays available I think in any supermarket.

[BobMcFee]

I had the same problem at an online retailer I worked for. The warehouse and computers were all in the same building, and I often was shocked by the metal shelves and was very wary about being on the computers. Unfortunately, I worked on the computers, so this was no good. In the end I found out it was my shoes. I never got shocked wearing them anywhere else, but I also never got shocked wearing different shoes to that job either. I suggest trying that first as it's the easiest thing to fix.

[englishgirl1]

Thanks guys for all your ideas. I do wear rubber soled shoes when I'm walking around and can often be found shoes off/feet on desk (yes I am lucky in that no-one has any clue what I do and so they leave me alone to do it). Will try the fabric conditioner and humidifier.

I also can't wear watches! I detune analogue radios and don't get recognised by automatic doors, but I think that's a different problem ; )

Cheerio

Rachel