Anti-Fatigue Mats In The Workplace

Each year, millions of employees are injured on the job. Some of these injuries may include slip-and-falls, burns, cuts, bruises, overexertion, strained muscles and a variety of foot problems. While there's no way to completely prevent all forms of accidents from occurring, there are precautions companies can take to improve the safety of their workplace. Using anti-fatigue mats is just one of the many ways companies and businesses can reduce the chance of a work-related accident.

What Is an Anti-Fatigue Mat

An anti-fatigue mat is just what the name suggests: a mat that's designed to prevent and/or reduce the fatigue of workers. They are manufactured using a wide variety of materials, some of which include vinyl, rubber, carpet and several synthetic blends. Regardless as to what material it's made of, nearly all anti-fatigue mats are exceptionally soft and comfortable, which is essentially how they reduce fatigue.

Benefits of Using an Anti-Fatigue Mat

You might be wondering what (if any) benefits an anti-fatigue mat provides. Among other things, it creates a softer area for employees to stand and work on. Here's a scenario to consider: factory employees are forced to stand on hard, cold concrete floor for the eight or more hours during a single shift. While this may not create any immediate problems, forcing workers to stand on such a hard, unforgiving surface for long periods of time may lead to foot injuries later down the road.

Rather than forcing workers to stand on concrete, asphalt or a similar hard surface, company owners and managers can place anti-fatigue mats down in their workers' stations; thus, creating a softer, more comfortable working environment.

Here's a short list of benefits associated with anti-fatigue mats:

• Improves worker morale
• Reduces the chance of injury
• Creates a more comfortable working environment
• Creates greater traction on otherwise slippery floors
• Inexpensive and easy to use

Do I Really Need Anti-Fatigue Mats In My Workplace

I guess the answer to this question depends on your particular workplace setting. An office-based company probably wouldn't benefit much from the presence of anti-fatigue mats; however, a factory like the example mentioned above would certainly benefit from them. It all depends on whether or not workers are forced to stand on their feet for long periods of time.

What do you think about anti-fatigue mats? Let us know in the comments section below!