I bought a winter coat from Wal-Mart. It’s a great coat, but I noticed it takes on a great static charge when I slip out of it. It’s so annoying because it makes my hairs stand on end…to the point where I need to discharge myself to ground everytime. However, I can feel the coat holds a charge for a good while (like a dielectric). I WAG this coat must be made of a cheap synthetic (probably the cheapest stuff around) that loses electrons quite easily.
Now, I started thinking about the incidents at gas pumps. Is this coat going to get me killed because I cannot assure I am 100% properly grounded since it can hold a charge? I mean, I’ve never noticed this with any other coat bought elsewhere! It’s a bit unnerving!
In the USA, who do I report this potential accident waiting to happen to? In the least, it should be brought to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but they’ve done such a fine job stopping lead toys from coming into the US…
True, I said the static charge occurs when I slip out of it. Still, it can happen when rubbing against the cloth seat in my car when just exiting the vehicle…and touching something metal does not discharge the coat itself. (It’s like that static build-up on some plastics that does not readily dissipate.) But under the right conditions, maybe it just might!!!
unless you are accustomed to rotating out of the seat and standing up without touching anything to equalize you with car you will be a potential ignition source.
Dry air increases the generation of static electricity. In our Legion Quarters this time of year everything I touch draws a nice big blue spark, take 2 steps and touch almost anything and bang you get it again. hold your keys in your hand and touch any object it snaps and all but you feel nothing.
So the “Warning” belongs printed inside the lens of your spectacles if you are unable to remember what is going to happen.