Monthly Archives: June 2014

  • Electrostatic Discharge in the Workplace

    scrapemat1Electrostatic discharge or ESD occurs naturally through a variety of sources, including the human body. It occurs when the positive and negative electric charges are not equal, which creates a charge-imbalance on your body. Just walking around a room can cause static charges to occur and when you touch the equipment or electronics in the workplace, you’ll feel a shock.

    While this static shock only lasts for a second, it can create a lot of problems for your company and the person responsible for the shock.

    Why Is Electrostatic Discharge Such a Problem?

    Electrostatic discharge is very similar to a lightning strike but on a much smaller scale, so it does pose a few safety issues that are cause for concern. For example, it’s very uncomfortable for the person receiving the shock and this can result in a decrease in production. Not wanting to touch something you know will shock you is a natural instinct, even if it is on a mild scale but that’s just the beginning of the problems.

    ESD can also damage sensitive components inside electronics and over time, it will burn out the circuit board rendering the items useless. It affects equipment in much the same way, which can cause your company to have excessive downtime. Both damaged products and faulty equipment will result in lost revenue for your company.

    ESD is especially dangerous for employees that work in high voltage areas and with flammable materials. The static shock could ignite a fire or result in a shock that could result in death. For this reason, ESD is a real problem for industries and you must take steps to reduce the risk of electrostatic discharge in the workplace.

    How Can You Reduce the Risks of ESD

    Using ESD non-conductive floor mats is one way to reduce the risks of ESD injuring a worker or damaging your equipment. These mats absorb the static charge, which prevents it from running into the equipment or electronics your employees work with.

    If workers are dealing with flammable materials or high voltage electricity, non-conductive floor matting is necessary. They work by creating a barrier between the ground and the employee. As a result, it prevents the ESD from causing electrical shocks or fires that could result in serious injuries.

    Another option is to use accessories like the Heel Grounder to help reduce ESD. These fit around the heel of the insulative work shoes and they have a fabric strip that touches the person’s skin. Velcro holds them on, so they’re adjustable. They work by directing the static electricity from the person to the mat underneath their feet. For areas where small electronics are worked on, the stat-guard tablemat will help control static electricity.

    Protecting your workers is top priority and taking steps to reduce static electricity in the workplace will help keep them safe. As a result, your employees will be happier, healthier and have the tools needed to increase production. It will also reduce lost revenue due to damaged equipment and electronics caused by ESD.

  • How to Buy Floor Mats for Your Business

    commercial entrance floor matsWhen you are brainstorming ways to make your business appear more professional and attractive to customers, entrance floor mats might not be the first thing you consider. We see entry floor mats everywhere, whether at home or at various stores we visit throughout the day; accordingly, floor matting can seem like a fairly nondescript choice. But commercial entrance floor mats have a number of advantages, ranging from their attractive appearance to their safety benefits.

    Commercial floor mats come in a wide array of colors and styles that will appeal to any business owner. It is also possible to order custom logo floor mats, or mats with special messages, whether for the purpose of cautioning your guests or merely welcoming them. But even simple, black commercial entrance floor mats will lend a subtle touch of professionalism to your business.

    However, commercial mats are good for more than improving appearance: custom commercial floor mats also make business areas safer for both customers and employees. Floor mats soak up the moisture that inevitably gets tracked indoors, preventing puddles and slippery floors that can cause accidents. They can be used on all forms of hard floors, including laminate and wood, but also stone floors like granite or marble, which can easily become slick and cause falls.

    So if you are interested in improving the appearance of your business and adding a professional touch, focus on an area you may not have considered: your floor mats. By purchasing commercial entrance floor mats, you will not only improve the look of your public areas, but will also make your place of business safer for both your customers and employees.

  • Ways to Reduce Foot Pain in the Workplace

    Close-up of a Caucasian physical therapist giving a foot massageFoot pain is a common problem that many people suffer with, especially when their job requires them to stand for long periods. When your feet hurt, you feel miserable and it can make you hurt all over. Not only is this very uncomfortable but foot pain can be serious and it’s linked to a wide variety of medical problems.

    People tend to shift their feet around and put pressure on other parts of the body to try and relieve some of the pain in the feet, especially if one hurts worse than the other. This can lead to knee, hip and back pain along with varicose veins, joint degeneration and bone misalignment.

    Standing for long periods can also cause fatigue, sore muscles and a decrease in blood flow, which can create even more medical problems. For these reasons, it’s vital that you take steps to reduce foot pain in the workplace and the information below can help.

    The Right Shoes Can Help Reduce Foot Pain in the Workplace

    The shoes your employees wear can cause foot pain if they don’t fit properly or if they’re worn out. You also need to wear the right kind of shoe or it can create even more problems. You can help by educating your workers on how important it is for them to wear the right type of shoes.

    Wearing the right shoes can help to reduce foot pain and lower the risks of suffering from the problems caused by standing for long periods. For the best results, the shoes should have good support and plenty of padding to absorb some of the pressure created when standing.

    Invest in Anti-Fatigue Floor Mats

    Anti-fatigue floor mats are a great investment for any company that has employees who stand all day. These provide a cushion underneath the feet so workers are not standing directly on the hard flooring. They also encourage slight movement as the person shifts their weight, which relieves some of the stress on the body and increases blood flow. If you need help, our dedicated staff can go over the different options with you and help you choose the best type of anti-fatigue floor mats for your business.

    How Reducing Foot Pain Can Increase Production

    When someone’s in pain, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything else. All you want to do is find a way to make the pain stop and that makes it very difficult to do a good job no matter what type of work you do. When you can’t concentrate and stay focused on your job, you make mistakes that could lead to poor products or it could even lead to accidents.

    Employees that deal with foot pain often miss work because they need to rest their feet. Some people even become unsociable and have bad attitudes due to the pain and these workers often lose interest in their jobs. While this is understandable, it’s a big problem for management because you need your employees to put forth their best efforts every day.

    Encouraging your employees to wear proper shoes and using anti-fatigue floor mats throughout your facility will help reduce foot pain in the workplace. As a result, there will be fewer accidents, fewer missed days and you’ll see an increase in production.

  • Choose the Right Desk Chairs for Your Office

    Casual businessman sitting at desk writing in his officeSitting for long periods is associated with many health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, stiff joints, poor circulation, spinal disorders and obesity. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to do all you can to help your employees take steps to counteract the effects of sitting behind a desk for eight or more hours a day.

    One thing that you can do to help lower the risks of your employees suffering from one or more of these medical conditions is to allow them to take regular breaks. This way, they can get up, stretch and walk around for a bit. Another option that will make a big difference in the health of your employees is choosing the right desk chairs. You need ones designed to help take some of the stress off the body.

    What to Consider When Choosing Desk Chairs for Your Office

    Today, you have many different types of office chairs to choose from, so it pays to do some research and check out the different styles available. While searching through your options, pay close attention to the different feature each one has. This will help you pick out the style best suited for your office environment.

    Office desk chairs should:

    • provide maximum support for the back, hips and spine
    • swivel and recline to allow for a wide range of movement to prevent straining
    • adjust up and down to accommodate different heights, so the hands are above the desk and parallel with the floor and elbows will be in-line with the shoulders
    • have a footrest to allow the knees and hips to be at right angles reducing the pressure placed on the knees, thighs and back

    Extra features that you’ll find with some desk chairs include depth adjustment and adjustable backrests. The adjustable backrest allows the user to move it around until it provides proper support for the lumbar area.

    Chair Floor Mats Are Also Important

    Office workers have to move around all day in their chairs, which is why they are designed with rollers. It’s much easier to roll from one side to the other instead of standing up and stretching across the desks for the items they need or to use different office equipment. The workers will also need to slide back and forth when getting in and out of the chair. Therefore, you need the rollers to move easily to prevent straining.

    That’s why chair floor mats are so important. They make rolling the chairs around much easier, reducing the stain on the back, legs and arms of the employee. Here at Floormatsystems.com we have a wide variety of chair floor mats suited for any office environment. You can even order custom chair mats to fit under odd shaped desks perfectly. Give us a call today to learn more about our products and services. We can even help you decide which mats would be best suited for your office if you’re not sure what you need.

    The desk chair is a major investment for any office. The right choice will help keep your employees healthier and happier, which will increase production. It’s worth the extra time researching to find the best style chair for your business and don’t forget the floor mats. They can reduce the risks of sore, strained muscles by making it easier for your employees to move around in the chairs.

  • Carpet Floor Mats are Safe to Use

    baroque1Carpet floor mats can help give your business a fresh, clean look that really brightens up your facility. These colorful mats have the ability to create a warm, inviting environment for both your visitors and your employees and that’s good for business.

    With so many styles, sizes and colors to choose from, you can easily match any decor or company theme to enhance the overall look of your facility. You even have the option of purchasing custom-made mats if you prefer. However, some businesses avoid using carpet mats due to a common misunderstanding.

    Why Do Some Businesses Avoid Carpet Floor Mats

    Many people believe that having carpet mats in their facility can create a health risk for their employees and visitors. The reason for this belief is that dust, debris and other allergens settle into the carpet fibers. Walking across the mats can stir up these allergens causing asthma and other respiratory conditions, especially for people who already have respiratory problems.

    Another problem is mold and mildew that can form when these mats get wet and that is a leading cause of poor air quality. Not only does this causes allergies to flare up but it can also cause a variety of serious health conditions that can make your employees and visitors sick.

    These are real concerns but they are true for any type of floor mat or carpet. If you do not clean these mats properly, they will collect this type of debris. It’ll build up and everytime someone walks across them it will stir up these allergens. As a result, they’ll start floating through the air and that is what causes the problems. However, there is a simple solution to this very common problem that will allow you to use carpet mats safely.

    Follow a Regular Maintenance Schedule

    As long as you follow a regular maintenance schedule to keep your carpet floor mats clean, they are as safe to use as the all rubber/vinyl floor mats are. You just need to keep them properly maintained.

    Tips for cleaning your carpet floor mats:

    • Vacuum regularly, at least two or three times a day depending on how much foot traffic you have
    • Wash your mats off with a hose every few days as needed and hang out to dry
    • Clean up spills as soon as they occur to prevent them from soaking into the fibers
    • Always allow the mats to completely dry before putting back in place to prevent mold and mildew from forming

    Following the tips above will keep your mats clean and free of the mold, mildew and allergens that can cause upper respiratory problems and other medical conditions. You don’t have to worry about them making your employees or visitors sick when you keep them clean and properly maintained.

    Floor mats can help keep your facility safer for your visitors and your employees by helping to reduce the risks of slip and fall accidents. This alone makes them a valuable investment but carpet floor mats can also help create a warm, welcoming environment that helps build a positive image for your company.

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