Be good to your feet

David Lummis discusses the advances in the world of flooring that can benefit workers
who are on their feet most of the day

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States,
once said: “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet
on the ground.” I would add, be kind to your feet,
avoid standing on hard floors and opt instead for work station
mats or ergonomic flooring. Ergonomic mats and flooring can
make life that bit easier for workers and more financially
rewarding for companies.

Bad footing Standing on your feet all day on a hard surface can lead to
musculoskeletal disorders including lower back pain, painful legs
and feet and possibly varicose veins. Even though there has been
a general downward trend in musculoskeletal disorders in the
UK since 2001/2002, employees still suffer from Lower Limb
Disorders (LLD). One of the causes of LLDs recognised by the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is standing for more than two
hours without a break.

According to HSE statistics about 20% of all work-related
musculoskeletal disorders affect the lower limbs. In 2009/10 an
estimated 94,000 people in Britain who had worked in the last 12
months suffered from an LLD caused or made worse by their
work. Of these, an estimated 30,000 were new cases, which is
about 100 out of every 100,000 workers in Britain.

The HSE estimates that each case of LLD means a worker
taking an average of 25 days off work; about 2.4 million working
days were lost because of LLDs in 2009/10. Research suggests
that 50% of cases of surgically-treated knee osteoarthritis (OA)
and 30% of surgically-treated hip OA were related to
occupational factors.

But can anything be done to prevent LLDs? The key is
prevention. Research has shown that having a softer surface to
stand on, such as anti-fatigue mats and cushioned shoe insoles,
can reduce fatigue and discomfort associated with standing for
prolonged periods. In 2004, researchers from Milwaukee in the
US tested three different flooring conditions for assembly line
workers. After an eight hour shift, workers filled out a
questionnaire rating comfort and fatigue. The general response
was less fatigue and improved comfort with softer flooring such
as an anti-fatigue mat and cushioned shoe insole.

Ergonomic mats Independent studies at both the University of Michigan and
Loughborough University prove the beneficial results of standing
on ergonomic mats versus hard floor surfaces. Anti-fatigue mats
have been proven to reduce the physical stress of standing by
50%, thus reducing the physical damage on the feet, legs, back
and neck. The studies showed that standing on a hard floor leads
to an immobile standing pattern, that can cause significant
stiffness and poor circulation, leading to medical problems such
as varicose veins, arthritis in the knees and hips, Achilles
tendonitis and other orthopaedic changes such as flat feet.

Ergonomically correct mats have a positive impact on workers’
health, wellness and morale and significantly reduce workplace
accidents, downtime and absenteeism. The benefits have been so
convincing that many businesses are now exploring how to
achieve the same productivity and cost improvements across
their entire facility, not just in areas where there are clearly
defined workstations.

Ergonomic flooring The main difference between work station mats and ergonomic
flooring is the ability to properly customise the product on-site.

Workers who are standing for more than two or three hours at
work are more likely to experience physical stress and fatigue, but
with the introduction of ergonomic flooring this can be
significantly reduced.

One highly desirable characteristic of ergonomic flooring is
the ability to reconfigure the product; Elliot Greenberg, CEO of
Wearwell, a leading provider of floor solutions says: “Customers
demand the ability to change the layout of a work cell or
assembly line area without having to reinvest a substantial
amount of money in new flooring. Flooring products that can
easily be disassembled and re-assembled to fit the changing
needs of the customer are critical.”
The BSIF agrees that products like ergonomic mats and
flooring can contribute significantly to the complete approach
that many companies now take when addressing employee health
and safety. Not only can they improve posture and general wellbeing,
but the emphasis on reducing fatigue and absenteeism also
boosts productivity.