Floor mats prevent fatigue and reduced productivity

Electrical Apparatus, May 2002 by Elsberry, Richard B

Slips and falls are the second most common cause of injuries

EMPLOYEES WHO STAND ON hard work surfaces such as concrete, tile, or linoleum eight hours a day often suffer from fatigue and discomfort. This can, as the shift progresses, quickly translate into reduced productivity.

Shoe insoles can be a cost-effective solution. But so can anti-fatigue matting. Cushioned industrial floor matting is not only a low-cost preventive for foot and lower leg aches, pains, and muscular cramps but has the added advantage of improving workplace safety by greatly reducing the potential for slips and falls. It does so by providing an abrasion-resistant cushioned surface; some floor mats also allow fluids, oils, and grease to drain through holes in the surface rather than collecting underfoot.

Falls commonplace

Slips and falls are the second most common cause of injury in the workplace, says the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. There are some 300,000 disabling slips and falls annually, of which 1,400 become fatalities. The National Safety Council has calculated the average cost of a slip and fall injury at $28,000.

One work force survey indicated that more than 80% of factory workers have at some time experienced severe foot and leg pain due to muscle fatigue resulting from having to stand in one place for long periods of time. Many standees also develop chronic low-- back pain.

Most industrial matting is modular and is designed either for wet or dry environments. Mats for use in low temperatures or that are flame resistant or static dissipative also are available.

Matting is usually made of vulcanized or nitrile rubber, Zedlan foam, or vinyl or urethane bonded to a PVC sponge base. Many users believe that Zedlan foam offers the best balance of softness and resilience for dry environments. For demanding wet conditions where chemicals and caustic substances are present, molded rubber mats using a nitrile formulation are usually specified.

Anti-fatigue matting can cost from as little as 50 cents a square foot to $2.50 a square foot for dry areas, and up to $7 a square foot for heavy-use areas. For wet areas, matting ranges from $4.50 up to $9 or $11 a square foot. Some extra-thick specialty matting can cost more than $12 a square foot.

How does it work? According to industrial hygienists, anti-fatigue matting induces natural yet imperceptible flexing of the muscles as the body makes adjustments to keep a balanced position. As the muscles tense and relax, blood and oxygen flow back to the heart, and the buildup of lactic acid, which causes fatigue, is reduced.

There are literally hundreds of mats on the market, which can make selection difficult. However, safety professionals seem to agree that only matting for wet areas presents a challenge. In dry work areas, nearly any anti-fatigue mat will do the job. The major consideration, therefore, becomes its estimated in-use life, which often is a function of how much you pay for it.

Test mats yourself

In general, employers selecting antislip, anti-fatigue matting should not rely on manufacturer's claims but rather should test selected products on their own floors under real working conditions. Reading product labels is of little help because there are no ASTM or other standards or test protocols relating to slip resistance, and marketing claims are often distorted or exaggerated.

For example, a typical, oft-repeated claim is that a supplier's matting "exceeds all OSHA standards for slip resistance." This is simply hyperbole, since there are no OSHA standards, only a proposed non-mandatory appendix item that OSHA never adopted as a standard. Further, no test protocol was ever specified to measure this so-called guideline. Slip resistance claims are therefore best taken with a sack of salt.

While anti-slip matting and footwear that provides extra traction can prevent slips on greasy, oily factory floors, an ounce of prevention should also be part of the safety equation. This means cleaning up spills from machinery leaks as well as keeping floors free of dirt and debris from workstations and creating unobstructed and well-lighted areas for employee traffic.

Floor treatment products also can reduce slipperiness and improve floor traction, but a recent study by a risk management firm of 10 such products concluded that "product effectiveness had almost nothing to do with product claims." The study indicated there were significant differences among products in terms of their ability to reduce the likelihood of slip-and-fall accidents. It recommended that firms conduct field trials under everyday conditions to determine product effectiveness before they make such products a part of their safety program.

By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor