The effect of static charge generated on hospital bedding

Electrostatic charges that are produced when textile fabrics make contact, are rubbed together and are then separated, can cause a number of problems including uncomfortable shocks to people, the ignition of flammable gases and vapours that may be present in the atmosphere, and the malfunctioning of electronic equipment. Such problems may be expected to be particularly severe when large areas of fabric are separated in dry atmospheres. The removal of bedding from a bed is a good example of this and is the concern of the work presented here.