Banning Crocs due to Static Electricity

Nurses Uniform/Gear

Published

Crocs a fashion faux pas for doctors

Shoes’ static electricity zapped medical equipment, Swedish hospital says

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - A Swedish hospital wants to ban its staff from wearing Crocs plastic clogs, saying they generate static electricity that can knock out medical equipment, a spokesman said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18233132

Thank you morte for posting that- I was going to post something along the same lines.

Bottom line- plastic and rubber are two very different things.

Almost anything can produce static electricity. Ever pull a sweater off over your head in the dark?

Every single time I visit my grandmother I get zapped HARD when I touch her doorknob and again when I leave on the front doorknob- no matter what I am wearing for shoes. The carpets in the complex are the culprit and the only way I have found to avoid a big shock is to touch every brass bracket on the handrails down the hall and on the stairway- it releases the little charge so when I get to the doorknobs it has not built up to sting so much.

Specializes in ER.

static electricity results from rubbing electrons together, creating energy that will eventually need to be released, humans are conductors and can conduct a static shock with or without shoes on, it depends on the environment and the prescence of these electrons and specific environmental conditions (high energy)

Purely anecdotal: When I wear my running shoes or my birks, I don't ever get shocked at work. When I wear my crocs, I shocked. Well, I've never lost sphincter control; but I do keep uttering "Damn!" under my breath every time I touch the door knobs to the break room, the bathroom, the supply room, or the med room. My co-workers even notice....

I am not in the position to argue whether or not crocs are made of a material that is more conducive to the generation of static electricity; but I know in my experience, this is indeed true.

Specializes in Diabetes ED, (CDE), CCU, Pulmonary/HIV.

Agreed, natural rubber does come from plants (it's a hydrocarbon). Neoprene is a synthetic rubber--and there are many more. Plastic is such a vast category of materials (see definition). Croslite is referred to on one of the Croc's sites as a PCCR (Proprietary Closed Cell Resin). Sounds like plastic to me. I think they resist calling them plastic because of negative connotation of using plastic to make shoes. The original article also stated that Crocs are made of plastic. Not all plastics are made from petroleum. Celluloid is a cellulose based plastic.

:balloons:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source

plas-tic [plas-tik] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun

1.Often, plastics. any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials that may be shaped when soft and then hardened, including many types of resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins: used in place of other materials, as glass, wood, and metals, in construction and decoration, for making many articles, as coatings, and, drawn into filaments, for weaving. They are often known by trademark names, as Bakelite, Vinylite, or Lucite.

If it helps, the actual term for what crocs are made of is: EVA or Ethylene Vinyl Acetate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene-vinyl_acetate

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Sorry, I still disagree, there is little difference between "rubber" and a "type of rubber"...acetate, that they make clothing from, isn't quite the same thing as plastic forks or knives, but it is still a type of plastic.

Croslite, is still a type of rubber...that is why they call it a "proprietary closed cell resin" instead of a patent.

You can take products and chemically manipulate their function, but it doesn't change what it was to start with.

I'll show you my rubber tree if you show me your plastic tree.

I'll show you my rubber tree if you show me your plastic tree.

Hey, subee - I don't have a plastic tree, but I have some plastic plants, and plastic flowers and.......:lol2:

I wear crocs practically everyday, and I've never noticed myself shocking people, or being shocked by other things.

I've never noticed any difference with static electricity when wearing my crocs vs. other shoes. I really hope this article doesn't influence hospitals to ban crocs - my crocs have helped me so much in terms of reducing pain in my feet, knees and back. Before them I tried Dansko's ($120) and cross-trainers ($70) and always came home in pain after every shift. My $30 Crocs have solved all my problems!

Why is there so much resistance to Croc's? First it was the holes, now static electricity. What's next?

Back off Croc-haters! :angryfire

Specializes in ICU, CCU, ER, PACU, tele, PSYCH.
i've never noticed any difference with static electricity when wearing my crocs vs. other shoes. i really hope this article doesn't influence hospitals to ban crocs - my crocs have helped me so much in terms of reducing pain in my feet, knees and back. before them i tried dansko's ($120) and cross-trainers ($70) and always came home in pain after every shift. my $30 crocs have solved all my problems!

why is there so much resistance to croc's? first it was the holes, now static electricity. what's next?

back off croc-haters! :angryfire[/quote

i agree also some places ban clogs all together, most of these are 20 yrs behind anyway, have been wearing crocs for 3 yrs now with no problems, and have worn my reg walking shoes to wk and legs hurt so bad at end of day, also with crocs ya dont slip on the floor either. i can see now holes on the tops because of all the junk spilled but need the side vents since feet get so hot. bet the nurses at that hosp have to wear all white too.

"... some places ban clogs all together, most of these are 20 yrs behind anyway"

surely you're not claiming that sweden is 20 years behind as i can assure you that is certainly not the case. we don't wear all white, either.

.... behind whom or what, by the way?

Specializes in NICU, Med/Surg.

Hi

It all started in Norway when a neonatal ward had an accident with a baby and a bililight (the baby was not hurt). They blamed the shoes and banned staff from wearing them while an investigation is conducted.

Then it spread to Sweden and some hospitals are considering to do the same. At my hospital they have asked the staff to report our opinion of wearing the shoes before starting up an investigation......

And I have to say, we are certainly not 20 years behind just because we are trying to make sure staff and patients are safe.:nono:

Anna

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