Occupational health is a very real concern, no matter what industry or sector you operate in, and as employers and business owners it’s essential that you do all you can to protect the mental and physical health of your staff… particularly if they find themselves standing for prolonged periods of time.
Research carried out by workplace safety matting experts COBA shows that standing for at least four hours a day can lead to a range of issues, including lower back pain, poor mental health, difficulty getting out of bed and having to take pain killers.
Of those asked, 80 per cent said they had sustained at least one injury or health problem because of prolonged standing, 48 per cent had taken time off in the last 12 months, 43 per cent hadn’t been offered support to address fatigue and 27 per cent had to change jobs.
Standing for hours leads to a range of different health risks, including:
- Lower back pain
- Foot pain
- Knee pain
- Muscle fatigue
- Varicose veins
- Potential links to cardiovascular issues
- Circulatory issues
- Joint stress
- Pregnancy risks
- Mental health conditions (such as depression and anxiety)
There’s also a business case to be made for addressing the concerns, as lost productivity can take place as a result because of standing-related health risks.
While this might make for concerning reading, the good news is that there is a potential solution to consider – and that’s the use of anti-fatigue matting.
These products have been found to improve workplace comfort and productivity, encouraging subtle movements to promote circulation and reduce muscle fatigue, with four out of five workers describing these mats as helpful.
They’re not a legal requirement but installing these mats throughout your place of business demonstrates that you take employee health, safety and wellbeing seriously.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the team here at MatCraft to see how these products could be of benefit to you and your organisation.