Five industrial anti-fatigue mats to help keep your workers safe and comfortable
Need anti-fatigue industrial mats for workplaces like factories, food processing plants and packing stations? Here's everything you need to know about choosing the best industrial anti-fatigue matting for your environment and needs.
We've spent the last 50 years perfecting our anti-fatigue industrial mats, and in our experience, in wet or oily industrial environments a basic anti-fatigue mat won’t suffice.
This guide explores everything you need to know about selecting industrial anti-fatigue matting for work environments where there’s spillage or debris falling onto concrete floors or metal grids, such as food processing plants, repackaging, sorting centres, bottling plants, industrial plants, manufacturers, refineries, automotive plants, chemical plants and distribution centres.
The benefits of industrial anti-fatigue mats in factory packing benches and workstations
Standing on cold concrete floors and metal grids put significant strain on the body. Installing anti-fatigue matting ensures comfort underfoot for workers, and helps to reduce the negative effect on employees’ calves and lower backs from standing for prolonged periods on hard surfaces
This is particularly important in heavy-duty environments, where using heavy machinery and industrial equipment can put increased strain on employees’ bodies. The right anti-fatigue mat can play a crucial role in minimizing the risk of injury, and circulatory problems – while workers may not experience any issues after one day of working on a hard surface, the strain on their bodies can accumulate over time, possibly leading to pain and injury.
Many of our industrial anti-fatigue mats also provide different levels of slip resistance and cushioning, which is integral for workplaces like food processing plants, commercial kitchens and garden centers, who need to protect employees from slip hazards caused by water, product fall-through, and oils and fats. Extra cushioning also helps to protect delicate items and expensive tools from damage by absorbing impact.
Features to consider when choosing anti-fatigue matting for workstations and factory packing benches
For some work environments, basic foam matting might be appropriate, but if you need additional features like drainage or fall through, make sure to carefully research the product qualities and specifications. This is particularly important if the matting needs to withstand exposure to oils and chemicals.
We recommend choosing anti-fatigue matting made of PVC: it’s long-lasting, and provides thermal insulation. This winning combination reduces fatigue in workers caused by standing for long hours on cold concrete floors with greater comfort underfoot creating boosts in productivity.
Look for these features:
An open grid which allows for drainage and fall-through
Flexible, easy to cut to size, and loose lay to ensure a simple installation process
Tested safety credentials for slip-resistance underfoot
Ability to withstand exposure to oils/chemicals without degradation
To narrow down your search and help you choose the right slip resistant anti-fatigue mat or oil resistant anti-fatigue mats, here are five factory-approved industrial anti-fatigue mats to consider:
Five anti-fatigue mats that fit the brief for factory environments
1. Heronair
Heronair is a lightweight, slip-resistant anti-fatigue mat that's super versatile and easy to handle. Its non-porous PVC construction and open-grid means these industrial floor mats are impermeable to fluids, naturally resistant to bacteria growth and provide superior drainage, while the etched pattern delivers excellent traction underfoot.
Heronair has fantastic anti-fatigue features with a hollow air-filled construction, which provides cushioning for standing workers who need additional support underfoot. It’s also resistant to most acids, alkalines and oils.
2. Vynagrip
If you’re looking for an all-rounder industrial floor mat for both anti-fatigue and slip resistance, consider Vynagrip. Designed to withstand all kinds of liquids, Vynagrip is fat and oil resistant and provides a superior defence against slippery environments, making it ideal for food processing areas, plant-based factories and anywhere with metal mezzanine grating walkways.
With a diamond tread pattern, this PVC mat delivers excellent slip-resistance with unparalleled traction – this not only helps lessen the risk of people slipping but also helps to prevent equipment from skidding.
Case study
Vynagrip helps keep factory workers safe
When global tool manufacturer Sandvik Coromant needed a slip-resistant anti-fatigue mat that would contour to its facilities’ uneven surface, they selected a combination of Vynagrip and Vynagrip Plus. The matting's open grid and two layer construction delivers superior drainage, while the non-porous PVC withstands all kinds of workplace liquids, including oils, acids and chemicals.
These industrial mats also helped Sandvik Coromant prioritize employee safety: the two-layer construction provides anti-fatigue properties proven to help boost productivity, while the yellow bands around the edge of Vynagrip Plus allowed the factory to define safe walkways around the heavy machinery.
3. Herongripa
Oils, acids and animal fats are no match for Herongripa. These factory industrial mats are heavy duty, and specifically designed to keep food processing and food service areas free from slippery floors. The industrial floor mat’s anti-fatigue properties provide comfort for standing employees, while the extra-wide open grid means waste and other spillages fall straight through, helping to keep the factory floor hazard-free.
This winning combination makes Herongripa a great choice when choosing an oil-resistant, anti-fatigue mat for busy food processing and production environments, and is easy to clean with a high pressure hose.
4. Floorline
Floorline is one of our bestsellers and is perfect for any environment where liquid is present and cushioning is needed underfoot. The mat's open grid and embossed surface provides excellent slip resistance and drainage, making it an ideal choice for slippery walkways.
Made from a single tier of flexible PVC, Floorline is an incredibly lightweight floor mat, making it easy to carry, move and lift for cleaning. Extra soft underfoot, it's also a popular choice for environments where workers are standing for long periods, spillages are common and breakages likely.
5. Crossgrip PVC
For factories with walkways on a slight slope, make sure to fit out that area with industrial mats with extra slip resistance, such as from our Crossgrip range. Crossgrip gets its name from its cross directional top ribs, which deliver extra slip resistance on external walkways (such as on roofs) and on slightly sloped walkways.
Crossgrip PVC is a hardwearing walkway matting that's designed to be loose laid with no fixing required. It can be quickly rolled out and cut to fit on site, making it ideal for long production lines in factories and plants, especially those needing absolutely minimal disruption to production cycles, such as those operating on a 24 hour basis.
Case study
Crossgrip PVC keeps productivity levels high
When Jaguar Land Rover were seeking a heavy duty industrial matting solution to keep over 3000 shift workers on a busy production line safe from slips and free from fatigue, they chose Crossgrip PVC. Crossgrip contours over uneven surfaces, including ramps and changes in level, while the matting's durable, two-layer construction also provides underfoot comfort for shift workers spending prolonged periods on their feet.
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Contact our friendly sales team – they can help you select industrial anti-fatigue mats that will help keep your workers safe and comfortable – send us a message today.