Reduce pain, slips and trips in bars and pubs
Bars and pubs experience heavy footfall on an almost daily basis as customers walk in, out and around the venue. However, while customers might have the choice of sitting down at the bar, at a table or outside in the beer garden, bar and pub staff are on their feet for long periods of time.
Long periods of standing and walking can be tiring and uncomfortable after a while – in fact, research from the Labour Force Survey found that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) were the cause of 480,000 cases of work-related illnesses – 30% of the total. So, bar floor mats are a crucial investment that every bar or pub should make.
Types of bar floor mats
Bar floor matting can be split into two main categories – anti-slip and anti-fatigue. While their names are fairly self-explanatory, they can bring a number of benefits to staff and the organisation as a whole.
Anti-slip mats
As the name suggests, these mats are designed to reduce the chance of slipping when staff are going back and forth behind the bar. With the inevitable spillages that come from handling drinks from open until close, the risk of slipping is high and these mats will help to negate that risk.
Anti-fatigue mats
Being on your feet for hours at a time can become uncomfortable and even painful, particularly if staff wear formal or less-cushioned footwear as part of their uniforms. In more severe cases, standing can lead to Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), which can have long-term effects. Anti-fatigue mats provide underfoot cushioning to reduce the stresses of standing and help staff do their jobs effectively and comfortably.
What are the benefits of bar floor matting?
There are a number of benefits to both the user and the business when anti-slip or anti-fatigue bar floor matting is used. From preventing injury to saving money, let’s take a look at some of them.
Improved safety
The first and most obvious benefit is the improved safety aspect. According to the HSE, 30% of non-fatal work accidents are the result of slips, trips and falls.
In a busy bar, staff will be rushing around to serve customers, pour drinks, and get to other areas of the bar, with little to no time or space to weave through people. This will increase the likelihood of accidents, such as collisions, trips and falls or people dropping glasses, bottles and plates. Whether it’s preventing sudden accidents like slips or reducing the likelihood of muscular pain developing over time, rubber floor matting helps to create a safer working environment.
Reduced stock loss
Perhaps a lesser benefit but a benefit all the same, softer matting on the floor can help protect glasses and bottles should they be dropped by accident during the course of a shift. Fewer breakages means less money spent on replacements, which can only be a good thing for a business. It also means less chance of broken glass on the floor which could be stepped on or carried into public areas on the soles of people’s shoes.
Reduced floor damage
Without rubber floor matting in place, spillages are not only inconvenient and potentially dangerous, but they can also damage the floor. Anti-slip mats such as this one [LINK] include an undermat surface that absorbs liquids if a bottle or glass is dropped onto the mat. The liquid simply slips through the drainage holes in the mat and into the underlayer – no sticky floors and no stains.
Reduced absences
Non-slip mats can prevent injury and anti-fatigue mats can prevent muscular issues. Our own Standing at Work survey found that 68% of businesses that invested in anti-fatigue matting thought it had a positive effect on the wellbeing of staff, and 86% found anti-fatigue matting helped to reduce pain or serious health conditions. By helping to keep staff healthier and safer, you’re reducing the risk of people needing time off work for injuries or muscular problems that might prevent them doing their jobs effectively.
Improved employee satisfaction
If employees know that their workplace is taking steps to improve their comfort and conditions at work, then they’re likely to be happier, more engaged and more productive. This is true in any workplace, and when it comes to bars and pubs, anti-fatigue mats can make a real difference to someone’s enjoyment of their job.
They’re durable
Anti-slip and anti-fatigue matting is designed to be hard-wearing to endure constant footfall and weight, as well as impacts from things being dropped. Once you have invested in rubber floor matting for your bar or pub, you won’t have to worry about replacing the matting for a long time.
Food Hygiene Standards
Sticky, dirty floors are not going to contribute to a strong hygiene rating for any pub or bar. Non-slip bar floor mats are effective at minimising the risk of stains and stickiness thanks to the undermat layer that can absorb liquids.
Non-slip and anti-fatigue matting should be present in every bar and pub. It not only helps to protect your employees from injury and discomfort, but they can also prevent stock loss, improper hygiene and help your business to maintain a happy workforce who are fit, healthy and motivated at work.
