Past Tense

Lower back pain has been one of the major ailments affecting millions of workers around the world in an unprecedented scale. Since the 1960′s, the use of an ergonomically designed mat to address the physical laborers most common problem at the workplace has been steadily gaining popularity. This special type of mat is called an anti fatigue mat which relieves the pressures of standing on hard surfaces for long periods, in either hot or cold conditions.

Based on extensive studies using different designs of mats and data given by workers on varying states of working conditions, the anti fatigue mat was then created. Prior to using the anti fatigue mat, up to 94% of workers reported feeling extremely tired and exhausted after completing a full day’s work. Many experienced varying states of physical degradation, starting with lower back spasms and then leading on to other symptoms. Besides causing discomfort and suffering, it also contributed to other forms of ailments such severe feet, leg, shoulder, neck, arm, hand, and head injuries; the condition if left untreated, could even lead to a more life-threatening problem affecting the heart.

Standing on concrete surfaces for long hours puts undue stress on the leg and back muscles causing it to constrict abnormally. This causes an imbalance in the natural blood flow in the veins, thus exerting undue stress on the heart. This makes the heart work much harder than normal to pump blood to the affected parts until the whole body’s energy reserves are spent. The end result is exhaustion and pain.

The success rate upon the use of anti fatigues mats was so high that most, if not all the affected workers showed no signs of extreme exhaustion and fatigue after about a month’s use. With this, absenteeism rate fell by 20% and productivity time was increased to 300%. It reduced company operating costs while boosting profitability as a result of using the anti fatigue mats in their facilities.

With the use of anti fatigue mats workers became more productive as they were now more healthier in body and mind, and cost for compensating injured employees was greatly reduced thus saving companies much valued resources in terms of time, manpower, and finances.

In order to ensure and promote the highest levels of productivity in a company, while providing its workers job satisfaction and security, it is important that the workplace be rendered as safe and agreeable as possible. Investing in such a small yet innovative object is one smart move worth making for the good of all concerned in the long run.