A Swedish hospital wants to ban Crocs because it claims the plastic clogs generate a static charge that wreaks havoc with its medical equipment.

Southern Sweden's Blekinge hospital believes that the popular shoes produced by Connecticut-based Crocs Inc. are behind at least three incidents in which respirators and other machines malfunctioned.

Hospital spokesman Bjorn Lofqvist said the mishaps didn't cause injuries. But the popularity of Crocs has raised the issue to a new level.

"It's been a problem for many years, but now there are so many people that have them," he said, adding officials are discussing whether the sandals should be banned throughout the hospital or just in certain sections.

Messages left for Crocs officials were not immediately returned.

A spokeswoman for Pforce AB, the Forsberg-controlled company that imports Crocs to Sweden, said the company is performing tests on the shoes.

"We take this very seriously," she said, adding the shoes are very useful for hospital staff. "They are good to work in and have a shock absorption that really helps people who do strenuous work."

The colourful plastic shoes are known as "Foppa-tofflor" in Sweden — a combination of Forsberg's nickname "Foppa" and the Swedish word for clogs.

The hospital in Forsberg's home town of Ornskoldsvik had not experienced any problems with the Crocs because the floors there are antistatic, hospital spokeswoman Erika Jakobsson said.