Ergonomic standing

2020/06/03

Correct standing posture at the workstation

What does ergonomic standing actually mean? Every employee should always be mindful of their own posture. By prolonged standing, you should keep your head up straight and relaxed, breastbone lifted towards the front, avoid slouching, hold pelvis straight and keep your knees slightly bent whilst allowing the buttocks and abdominal region to remain slightly relaxed. This is the theory. In real life it often looks completely different. After all, you are at your workstation and not in physical education class.

Ergonomic standing is actually not quite so simple at the workstation. Hard concrete floors and firm ground make it almost impossible to maintain a healthy standing posture whilst working. In order to provide for ergonomics at the workplace and in factories, many companies are now going back to ergonomic workstation matting.

A well equipped standing workstation supports productivity, concentration and ergonomic standing. Ergonomic matting and anti-fatigue matting make it easier for employees to maintain a comfortable posture at machine workstations, behind sales counters or on assembly lines. An investment in ergonomic workstation matting is always worthwhile, as sick days are reduced and workers are not interrupted from their work by pain and discomfort.

Standing workstation ergonomics wt$

How should ergonomic matting be selected?

The most notable feature of ergonomic matting is that it is particularly soft to stand on. To put it simply, you could say that, the thicker a floor mat is, the more ergonomic it is. However, workstation matting can not simply be fitted with thick foam rubber and then laid out in the factory. It is also always important to consider where the matting will be used. For example, in many workplaces ergonomic workstation matting must be able to be driven over. Some matting is flat on the edges, so as to not to unnecessarily complicate being driven onto with transport devices. However, these models are also specifically manufactured for this and are made of robust materials. Other anti-fatigue matting also has such flat edges, but only to ensure they do not become a tripping hazard.

The profile of an ergonomic industrial mat specifically for machine workstations is shown here. It is flat on the edges and padded on the inside, which provides a soft and comfortable surface to stand on.

Standing workstation ergonomics wt$

It is also always important to consider what the surface of the matting will come into contact with at the workstation. In workshops where metal is welded and machined, some matting will not last long and can also create an additional hazard, if it is not fireproof and is not suitable for use at welding workstations. When purchasing ergonomic workstation matting, the composition and features of a floor mat should always be taken into account.

Standing workstation ergonomics ler

Ergonomic industrial matting may also need to accommodate specific requirements, such as being resistant to typical concentrations of oils and chemicals if these are handled at the workstations. Such considerations need to be accounted for in advance for some workshops. As the manufacturers are aware of the different requirements for ergonomic workstation matting, there are different models with different features. 

Standing workstation ergonomics ler

How does ergonomic standing work at the workstation?

Thick and soft workstation matting encourages constant movement of the body. Whereas the body and back usually remain in the same position and tense up during prolonged standing on a hard concrete floor, ergonomic matting has the effect of causing the body to constantly re-balance itself. The muscles and joints stay in motion. This is a prerequisite for healthy standing posture. There is good reason why we are taught from childhood on, that a rolling stone gathers no moss. See for yourself, which areas of the body stay in motion and which discomfort can be alleviated and sometimes even prevented through ergonomic standing.

Joint pains and muscle pains:

Frequently occurring symptoms are tightness and the headaches which result from it. These can be accompanied by vision problems and sensitivity to noise. Stomach problems can also occur due to tense, strained posture. Leg and foot pain is virtually inevitable and restricted blood flow from the legs back to the heart is, unfortunately, not all too uncommon. Physical discomfort usually also causes increased psychological stress, which makes it more difficult to relax at the end of the workday.

Ergonomic floor matting can prevent all of these symptoms.

Standing workstation ergonomics ler

Ergonomic matting in our webshop

Ergonomic workstation matting can be found under Industrial matting. In addition to the ergonomic properties, the floor matting offered here also has a multitude of other features, such as slip resistance and chemical resistance. In our webshop you will find a practical floor matting product guide, which explains the different characteristics and shows corresponding images. You will see these images again in the online shop next to the products, so that you can see at a glance whether or not a floor mat meets certain requirements.