Do Anti-Fatigue mats actually work?

If you’ve ever worked lineside in a bottling hall or spent two days walking round one of the large exhibition halls in Germany, then you’ll know exactly what it’s like for many other thousands of production line workers out there today. You get back to your hotel with sore feet, sore arms from dragging a bag around all day and sometimes even a bad back.

If you have workers complaining of sore feet and a bad back from working in a production environment all day, then you are in the right place as in this article I’m going to discuss whether Anti-Fatigue floor matting actually works. By the end of this article you will know if an Anti-Fatigue mat is the solution to prevent fatigue in your production environment.

Contents:

1. What is anti-fatigue matting?
2. So, does it actually work?
3. Why can’t you just wear comfier boots?
4. How much does it cost?

What is anti-fatigue matting?

Anti-Fatigue matting has been around for generations and can be found in most production sites across the UK. This is especially important where the operators are standing in one place for long periods of time. This matting can be made from something as simple as polyurethane foam but can also be made from rubber bubble-matting and a few other materials. It is even possible to get a heated Anti-Fatigue matting so that operators actually have their own mini underfloor heating in the winter. Anti-fatigue matting has two functions, it acts as an insulator from the floor preventing what is known as heat soak or ground soak. This is where the ground drawers heat from the feet of your body. The second function of an Anti-Fatigue matting is to provide some cushioning for your feet as you walk or stand on it preventing the jarring sensation from a concrete floor.

So, does it actually work?

To put this into context, imagine if your car didn’t have tires and no suspension. Stress transmitted from the road would be felt by every bone in your body. This cushioning technology is used in every form of transport including trains and often uses a layer of rubber like an underlay on a carpet. Anti-Fatigue matting is highly effective at eliminating stress and fatigue on operators’ feet. So, the answer to this question is yes, they work very well.

Why can’t you just wear comfier boots?

If the rubber soles on a pair of safety boots offered the cushioning required to prevent fatigue from standing around or walking around a production area for long period of time, then that would probably cause a number of other issues. Firstly, the rubber would have to be so soft that it would quite likely wear out in a short period of time and secondly, it would offer questionable ankle support which may lead to slips and traps. Of course, most quality trainers do offer a fair amount of protection but not enough to prevent fatigue from standing on a cold concrete floor for a number of hours.

How much does it cost?

Like with most things in life, it depends on the level of quality you want to invest in. Just recently, we have been to see a customer who has had to replace 100 m² in less than a year. The mats had started to crumble due to being a cheap purchase. This doesn’t mean a cheap mat won’t work. It has served its purpose for 12 months, but the flipside to it is a good quality mat would have a 10-year warranty on it. A cheap mat costs around £30 square metre rising up to £150 per square metre for a premium product. The big difference here is when a mat starts to crumble. Cheap mats are often very difficult to keep clean and looking good, whereas a premium product will always look good, feel good and perform as expected.

So now you know that’s an Anti-Fatigue mat is most likely to help prevent operator injuries from sore feet and a bad back, there are a few other additional features that should be considered. Anti-Fatigue mats usually sit proud by up to 20mm above the concrete floor, so look for a mat with a bevelled edge and ideally, this would be highlighted in another colour to prevent a trip on the mat.

If you’re ready to get in touch for a price for your Anti-Fatigue matting, reach out to us here.