When it comes to health and safety in the workplace, we often hear about the health problems facing office workers, many of which are caused by sitting for prolonged periods of time. However, there is also a concern for things on the other end of the scale with many industrial, warehouse or customer facing workers having to stand for hours on end.
While the aim is to have those who spend most of their time sitting behind a desk to get up and move around or intermittingly use standing desks or similar, there is also a call to minimise the time people spend on their feet. Very often, minimising the length of time standing is not always possible but minimising the impact and stress on the body is.
Some of the health risks associated with standing for prolonged periods of time include:
- Lower back pain
- Circulation issues leading to clots
- Swelling of the legs
- Varicose veins and nocturnal leg cramps
- Preterm birth and spontaneous abortion for the pregnant woman
- Cardiovascular disease (higher for those standing in a fixed position)
While for many industries the length of time workers spend on their feet cannot be minimized; the impact on their bodies and health can be. Which is where anti-fatigue mats come in, to help combat the risks associated with prolonged standing.
Originally designed to assist those who spend long hours standing in one place, like cashiers and assembly line workers, anti-fatigue mats should now be the staple in any work environment with concrete, tiled or hard surfaced floors.
Anti-fatigue mats are now being used in supermarkets, retail outlets, factory and warehouse environments providing safer, and more comfortable working conditions for those standing on hard-floor surfaces. Anti-fatigue mats are scientifically designed to help reduce the risk of heart disease and related symptoms, by encouraging better blood flow, as well as reducing one of the most common workplace health complaints- back pain.
Safework Australia recorded more than 360,000 work-related musculoskeletal disorder compensation claims between 2009/10 and 2013/14. This was an astounding 60 per cent of all claims in that period with more than half of these being back and shoulder injuries.[1]
Aside from protecting your workers, an additional benefit for having anti-fatigue mats installed in the workplace is a financial one. Not only will anti-fatigue mats help in reducing the amount paid out in injury leave, but they have been shown to increase staff productivity due to providing increased comfort. Hard concrete floors result in increased tiredness, slow down the workflow pace, due to workers unconsciously slowing down to conserve energy their bodies know they will need later. With the added comfort of anti-fatigue matting, staff can work at their full potential without the risk of injury.
Mat World has over 35 years of experience suppling commercial entrance, safety and anti-fatigue matting throughout Australia. We know what will best suit your environment and how best to solve your matting problems.
For further information on our range of anti-fatigue mats, or any of our other products, feel free to call us on 1300 676 807 and speak to one of our friendly team, or fill out our Online Enquiry Form and we will contact you as soon as possible.
[1] https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/a-difficult-position-experts-question-whether-ergonomics-holds-up-20180910-p502w5.html