Editing Mat (section)

=== Anti-fatigue mats ===
"Anti-fatigue mats" are designed to help a person who is working in a standing position for prolonged periods of time. Most anti-fatigue matting is a combination of an ergonomic pattern and a cushioning underlay. The cushioning causes constant subconscious balance checks and micro movements that stimulate blood flow through the legs and lower extremities. This results in better circulation and less fatigue. The cushioning underlay insulates the feet from the hard surface, cold floors, vibrations, moisture and sound.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.notrax.eu/cm/208/industrial-matting|title=Industrial Matting – Notrax® Ergonomic Anti-Fatigue & Safety Matting – Notrax® Mats for Professional Use|website=notrax.eu}}</ref> Their unique design encourages the user to make continual micro-movements<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.matcentre.co.uk/our-blog/anti-fatigue-mats-study.html|title=Anti Fatigue Mats – The Unique Rubber Matting|website=matcentre.co.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223151749/http://www.matcentre.co.uk/our-blog/anti-fatigue-mats-study.html|archive-date=2014-02-23}}</ref> which provides a wealth of health benefits, such as minimizing back pain, foot pain, weariness, stress, etc. Anti-fatigue mats are one of the approaches to prevent injuries, caused by working in a standing position. In a study at the Center of Ergonomics at the University of Michigan in 1987, ergonomist Mark Redfern concluded that different standing surfaces can have dramatic effects on physical fatigue. Workers who stood on anti-fatigue mats were able to reduce the level of fatigue and discomfort by as much as 50%.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anti-Fatigue Mats - The Definitive Guide {{!}} First Mats UK|url=https://www.firstmats.co.uk/blogs/buying-guides/what-are-anti-fatigue-mats|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.firstmats.co.uk|date=15 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref> This type of mat is recommended by Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The range of common materials for manufacturing anti-fatigue mats includes vinyl, wood, PVC tubing, rubber, PVC closed cell foam, polypropylene, nitrile rubber. Anti-fatigue mats were initially used in factories and production lines where staff has to stand for the majority of their working shifts.

Anti-fatigue mats come in various types and materials for industrial or commercial applications for a variety of workplace conditions that exist as well as the variety of workplace designs from individual work benches, to large assembly lines or complex manufacturing work stations. Work place environments can vary from dry areas to wet or extremely oily areas. Plus specialized industries may need additional properties such as fire retardant matting for welding, static dissipative matting for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, anti-microbial for food industry applications.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Today, this type of ergonomic mat is commonly used during trade shows for floor covering, in hospitals and clinics during surgeries to cover the floor near surgical tables to minimize surgeons fatigue resulted from continuous standing. Also these mats are used in housekeeping, especially for kitchen floors to alleviate fatigue during cooking.