Workers who have to stand for a long time on concrete, tile or other hard surfaces are at risk for back aches. This includes production line employees, food service workers, dockworkers, and many others.
Standing on your feet for long hours at a time can be both exhausting and excruciating. At the end of their shift, many workers are hobbled by sore lower back muscles, foot pain, and leg cramping. These types of physical discomforts can affect a business’s productivity, reduce efficiency, raise workmen’s compensation claim costs, and even cause more employee turnover.
But soft, spongy anti-fatigue mats are highly effective and minimizing on the job injuries such as back, foot, and leg pain.
Providing a Protective Barrier
Anti-fatigue mats are cushioned surfaces typically made from rubber or plastic. They provide a barrier between hard floors and workers’ feet, improving ergonomics and reducing the risk of back pain even after long hours on the job.
This soft, spongy surface compress to prevent feet from absorbing all of the resistance of a hard floor so employees can work longer without the distraction or discomfort of pain.
One of the main causes of back pain from standing directly on hard surfaces is bad circulation. Standing in the same place and in the same position for hours at a time reduces blood flow, which can result in joint pain.
Anti-fatigue mats help blood flow naturally throughout the body to help prevent circulatory problems.
More than Just Pain Reduction
But anti-fatigue mats do more than just reduce back, foot, and leg pain. They also help eliminate slip and fall injuries.
Work surfaces that are wet, oily, or covered with debris are at a higher risk for slip and fall accidents. But anti-fatigue mats that are ribbed, patterned, or slotted help grip worker’s shoes, reducing the risk of slip and falls.
Many anti-fatigue mats are oil, grease, and chemical resistant to minimize the dangers of a workplace accident. Some also come with runoff grooves or raised platforms which allow liquids, oils, and other materials to safely pool.
Protection against Dropping Accidents
Soft, rubber anti-fatigue mats also provide a barrier of protection between the floor and any objects or products that might be accidentally dropped. This can help reduce costs of lost products and save the time of cleaning up broken products or filling out incident reports.
Anti-fatigue mats not only improve employee comfort and reduce the risk of long-term injury, but they also help make your workplace more efficient, safer, and more profitable.