Your standing employees do hard work.  Their feet, legs, low back, and neck work even harder to keep them upright all day.  To keep your employees healthy, safe, and motivated, you strive to provide them with an ergonomically correct workspace.  One of the easiest, most affordable ways to protect your employees from injury associated with standing work is by installing anti-fatigue matting under their workspaces.  Anti-fatigue floor mats create a cushioned barrier between your standing employee and the hard floor space where they work.  Ultimate Mats has been outfitting industries that employ standing workers with the most trusted and effective anti-fatigue mats available in the industry since 2005.  We know anti-fatigue matting works, and we know which brands are best, durable, and lasting. They are stain resistant and washable which is perfect for any scraper mat.  If you are considering anti-fatigue mats for your workspace, here are three facts that break down how anti-fatigue entrance mats work, how they assist your standing employees, and how they protect your business. 

Anti-Fatigue Mats Create Constant Movement

Do you know why your standing workers struggle with foot, leg, hip, low back, and neck pain?  The reason might surprise you.  It’s more than just pressure from being in an erect position all day.  When a person stands for the majority of their work (majority being considered anything over seventy-five hours in a two week period), the muscles in their bodies become rigid, especially the muscles in the lower extremities.  When the muscles become rigid, the blood vessels in those regions tighten and shrink, and as such, blood flow is restricted.  This not only causes pain, but also circulatory problems.  

Anti-fatigue mats are not the same as area rugs, they work by causing the standing employee to continuously move by making micro-adjustments while standing.  Because the commercial grade surface of the mat is highly cushioned, it causes slight instability under the foot of the worker, which causes them to continually move their feet and calf muscles to keep balanced.  Because of this continual movement, the muscles resist becoming rigid, which prevents the blood vessels from constricting.  

Additionally, this padded surface helps keep feet comfortable so they resist becoming as sore as they would continually standing on a flat, hard, surface.  It’s important to make sure you have the appropriate thickness in your anti-fatigue mat, as having a surface that is overly padded can be a hindrance and too little padding can be completely ineffective.  

Anti-Fatigue Mat Construction

As important as it is to know precisely how an anti-fatigue mat works is it important to know how anti-fatigue mats are constructed.  All anti-fatigue mats are not created equally.  This means you can essentially purchase an anti-fatigue mat that appears thick, cushiony, and effective, but if it is not crafted with industrial strength materials, but instead natural fibers like a basket-weave entryway mat, it will not be supportive and will wear out within months of use.  It’s important that the construction of your anti-fatigue mat can handle the amount of foot traffic it will see. It will also be low profile and trap dirt from getting around your business. 

While some anti-fatigue mats have a cheap interior cushion which is highly susceptible to crushing and flattening within literal weeks of usage, the interior of a quality anti-fatigue mat will be plush but also sturdy.  For instance, a Hog Heaven anti-fatigue mat contains an industrial strength, closed-cell nitrile rubber mats and PVC blended cushion that can withstand the toughest amount of foot traffic and weight.  When you have a cushioned and shock absorbent anti-fatigue mat that contains a cushion this tough, it creates resistance when your standing employee steps on it, providing support and comfort for them as they work.  

You will also want to be certain your anti-fatigue mat features a mildew-resistant, floor-safe rubber door mat backing. Some backing of inexpensive mats will be made from latex, vinyl, or polypropylene.  Not only do these provide an opportunity for the mat to slip and slide while in use, these entry mats generally have a very short life span.  The backing of the mats begin to chip and flake away, which can eventually damage your flooring and create a mess.  Additionally, they will need replacement long before a quality mat with a sturdy, 100% rubber backing will.  

Anti-Fatigue Mats Create Business Security

Does this claim seem like a stretch?  We promise, it isn’t.  If you’re a savvy business owner you already know the amount of slip and fall claims that happen on the job on a daily basis.  Accident and injury claims can suck the lifeblood out of a business.  They demand excessive amounts of time, money, and attention.  It’s important to do your part as a responsible business owner to ensure you don’t have to deal with these types of lawsuits by keeping your standing employees as safe as possible.  

Adding anti-fatigue mats will not only provide a non-slip everyday use space for your standing employees to work, it will significantly reduce the amount of pressure and stress placed on their bodies while they perform their tasks.  As such, many injury and accident claims can be avoided all together simply by providing an ergonomically correct matting system for your standing employees’ workspace.  It’s not just about avoiding a lawsuit, it’s also about ensuring the overall health and wellbeing of your employees and your business.  A business owner that is overwhelmed with legal matters has precious little time to devout to growing his business, caring for his employees, or running other aspects of his operations. 

Anti-Fatigue Mats-Where to Buy

You can purchase an anti-fatigue mat practically anywhere, but we at Ultimate Mats would love the chance to earn your business.  We pride ourselves in being leaders in the matting industry, and specialize in working with our clients to determine the perfect matting systems for their companies.  With just a few simple questions, we can outfit your standing employees’ work stations with the appropriate anti-fatigue mats so they can work more comfortably.

Anti-fatigue mats are great for alleviating standing work-related accidents and injury.  A high-quality, industrial strength anti-fatigue mat will last for years and provide a comfortable area for your standing employees to work.  Anti-fatigue mats provide a level of safety and security for both the employee and the business owner.