[RFI] ESD "Pad"?

[KD7JYK DM09]

In the 1980's, my wife was working on computers, and controllers with 
very large connectors, and wiring harnesses, that would be drug around 
like fire hoses (small ones, like in an apartment), generating a bit of 
static.  She described each piece of equipment as having a fairly large 
static discharge pad on the side.  Before any harnesses were connected, 
the end of the harness, the large connector and all the pins, was to be 
pressed into this pad for a few moments to bleed off any static build-up.

Any idea what these pads are?  I'd like to research them, due to some 
static issues that are arising here.

Thanks.

Kurt