The Health Issues
When we stand for long periods of the day on cold hard floors like concrete, linoleum, tiles, wood or dirt, we can suffer from fatigue in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, legs, knees and feet – our whole body feels the strain when we stand.
Not only that but it can lead to long term health problems like varicose veins, bunions, on-going back problems, Achilles tendonitis, heel ailment, arthritis, joint stiffness and heart/circulatory problems.
Lastly, there are the general tiredness and lacking energy from standing which can result in loss of concentration and cause accidents and sometimes injury.
What Happens When We Stand
When we stand still our muscles stop too. When the muscles contract they compress the veins that pump the blood to the heart and back again. It is this that makes us tired or fatigued.
Proof that Anti-Fatigue Matting Works
Loughborough University carried out an experiment on 14 individuals who stood for long periods of the day. The study compared standing on a concrete floor without the aid of a mat with standing on a variety of anti-fatigue mats. The study confirmed that anti-fatigue mats can significantly increase comfort to workers who stand for prolonged periods.
How do Anti-Fatigue Mats Work?
Anti-fatigue matting increases the movement of the muscles, which pump the air and blood around our bodies.
Work out the Costs?
The cost of a non-productive worker or an accident/injury at work is easy.
You could even ask ACC to calculate this for you. Simply it is the cost of wages, down time, repairs or replacement of equipment, product faults and possible insurance claims and fines for injury in the workplace.
What Mat?
There are a wide variety of mats available to you from heavy duty 25mm thick solid rubber or PVC to the softer EVA foam mats available. Mats are open or closed top.
Open to allow dirt and dust to fall to the floor (below your feet) and closed for ease of cleaning. There is general purpose, grease resistant and solvent resistant. Don’t be fooled into believing that soft is better. Really, the best way to choose your mat is to ask your matting provider.
At The Wholesale Matting Company we will offer you a choice of mats suitable for your situation, we can provide different sizes, thicknesses, comfort levels and we are very competitively priced. View some of our selection here.
References:
Website ACC, Loughborough University Website.
