ANTI-FATIGUE MATTING PROVEN TO BOOST WORKPLACE WELL-BEING

Anti-fatigue Matting is proven to increase workplace productivity. The use of Anti-fatigue mats in factories, warehouses and even retail sectors has grown rapidly over the past decade as employers see clear benefits of anti-fatigue mats in boosting workplace safety. With the sheer range of workplace mats available, employers are sometimes left confused about their options. Questions we often hear asked include: “What is an anti-fatigue mat?”, “Do they really work?”,” What is the best anti-fatigue mat for my particular workplace?” Workers who stand for long periods of time at workstations, on assembly lines or behind counters frequently complain of fatigue in their back, legs and feet. HSE Statistics on Lower Limb Disorders The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) state that 20% of all occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) impact the lower limbs i.e. the legs from hips to toes. The main reasons for these, the HSE says, are: Repetitive kneeling or squatting Standing in the same position for more than two hours Jumping from heights Anti-fatigue mats can help with the risks associated from standing in the same position for more than two hours. Statistics show that a staggering 94,000 workers in the UK in 2009/2010 suffered from a Lower Limb Disorder that was accentuated by their work. The figures quoted on the HSE website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/lld/index.htm) become even more concerning when they estimate that each LLD injury typically results in 25 sick days per employee per year which works out at 2.4 million lost work days throughout the UK over that same 12 month period! The costs of LLDs to the employee through ill-health and to the employer through lost efficiency are clear – so how can anti-fatigue mats help? Scientific Evidence supporting the use of Anti-fatigue mats There are several bodies of work that verify the effectiveness of anti-fatigue matting in increasing workplace safety. James Kendrick in the April 1999 issue of Occupational Health & Safety journal describes well how the “imperceptible sway” caused by the anti-fatigue mattings cushioning effect results in the lower limbs making micro-readjustments constantly to maintain balance. It is these micro-movements in the lower limbs which stimulate blood flow to the area, thus reducing tiredness in the worker. Kendrick goes on to detail how standing in the one position for extended periods can also cause the foot to flatten excessively which commonly results in the risk of plantar fasciitis which is a particularly painful condition for the sufferer.