Anti Slip Mats

An anti-slip or non-slip mat is rubber or foam matting that is used to prevent slips, trips and falls in the workplace, leisure buildings and homes. Anti-slip mats are commonly used in situations where the cause of slipping hazards cannot be removed by other means. Typically, these types of mats are used in areas where liquid spills on floors are common like in kitchens, close to swimming pools, gym changing rooms, food processing and many more. 

The installation of carefully selected anti slip mats can help to combat workplace slips. Slips can result in serious accidents and seriously affect employees or visitors to any building.

Workplace safety is a continual concern and slip prevention is just one of the areas of focus for health and safety professionals. Accident prevention must be the first course of action for combating slips. Appropriate anti slip rubber mats can increase grip and safety underfoot in both dry and wet areas.

There are many options available in terms of surface texture, drainage holes, tile options, anti slip mat rolls and individual anti slip mats – ideal for workstations. Different wear resistances are also available to meet different industry standards, such as engineering to bar areas.

Anti slip mats work hard to prevent slips accidents and hazards in wet and dry environments, by capturing and draining excess moisture or swarf. The mat surface may also be textured or gritty to provide extra grip underfoot.

A wet workstation will require a non slip mat with drainage holes, rather than a textured solid surface mat. Swarf mats also feature within this range, with drainage holes that allow dry debris to fall through, preventing slip risks. Oily workstations will not only need a mat with holes, but also one that is oil resistant. Slips can result in minor and serious accidents, which can cause a loss of productivity.

Find out more about ‘how do anti slip mats work’ in our dedicated Buying Guide.

Anti-slip mats are useful in many applications, so if you’re a homeowner or business owner you’ll most likely be needing an anti-slip mat. 

Here are some use cases for anti-slip mats 

• Working in a kitchen or pub where there are often spills would require an anti-slip mat. 
• If you’re a hotel manager or homeowner where kids play at the pool – puddles can become a slipping hazard that can be resolved with an anti-slip mat. 

• If you have a camping site with washing blocks, puddles can build around showers etc. and can be a slipping hazard. 
• Gyms require anti-slip mats in changing rooms, in showers, at the pool and if they have a sauna – all of these can become a slipping hazard. 
• Food processing, especially of wet content, can become a slipping hazard, especially when spillage is dropped on the floor.  Anti-slip mats with holes can significantly reduce risks of slips an trips here. 
• Any warehouse where there is a lot of movement from the outside conditions to the inside would require anti-slip matting. Forklifts or foot traffic from outside can cause moist floors, causing a slippery slope for workers. 

Basically, any area with moisture or the risk of spillages on the floor would require an anti-slip mat. We have numerous options to choose from, each mat for the specific conditions you would require it for. Check out the Pontoon & Dock Company Ltd’s use of our Flexi Deck. 

Selecting the right mat for your environment can feel daunting, with many aspects to take into consideration. Our Matbrain™ will help you to quickly narrow down the ideal solution from over 100 matting options.  You can access the Matbrain™ on our website(MatBrain™ – COBA Europe), or by downloading the free Mats in Mind app from the google play or apple store.  

Many of our anti-slip mats also feature anti-fatigue matting properties, which reduce pain and fatigue from standing – and offer prevention from further health risks, as well as improving all-round wellbeing. 

Common determining factors 

The conditions in which the mat should work its magic should be one of the main considerations when choosing the correct mat. Ask yourself the following: 

• Do the weather conditions play a role in the matting you’re choosing?  
• Are you working with chemicals or oils? 
• What type of traffic would be moving over the matting solution? 
• What drainage level is required? 

• Some of the matting solutions have dual functions. If fatigue or insulation from cold concrete floors is also a concern then you would require a specific anti-slip mat. 

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right mat for your situation. As our slogan “Right mat, first time” suggests, we pride ourselves on taking all the factors into consideration and choosing the best matting solution for our customers. If you are not sure what the best solution for your site would be request a site survey from our team of experts to give you guidance on choosing the right mat, the first time. 

Type of environment 

Each anti-slip mat has different characteristics that make them equipped to handle certain environments. If you are working with chemicals and oils, choosing a specific anti-slip mat is very important.  The COBAmat® for example is made from PVC. PVC is resistant to many different chemicals, alkalis and general industrial chemicals, it can resist alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils, weak acids, strong mineral acids and alkalis. PVC resists oil and grease if properly cleaned. It does not resist organic solvents, ketones, esters and aromatic hydrocarbons. 

If for example you are looking for an interlocking option or a roll, then you might want to look at our MatBrain decision tree and compare the options you’re considering to easily see which would be the best option for you. 

Anti-slip and non-slip mats are just synonyms, so the terms are interchangeable and are sued according to preference.

All COBA mats are quality products and usually all our and Anti-slip mats last for a number of years.  There is no “one shoe fits all sizes” answer here as this depends on usage, care and of course if you have chosen the correct mat for your environment. Generally speaking, the better the mat is for your environment, the longer it will last, which is why “right mat first time” really matters.  

 An anti-slip mat with holes will probably never lose its anti slip capabilities, but wear and tear can cause the mat to look ecstatically displeasing and it could become uneven and could become be a tripping hazard. If you have a solid anti-slip mat then checking the texture of the surface would tell you if your mat needs to be replaced. Just like checking the tyres on your car, the smoother they are the less grip you’ll have. 

Most of our anti-fatigue mats also have non-slip properties. Usually, if a mat has a gritty surface it can be considered an anti-slip mat. For example, our Fatigue Lock is capable to assist with fatigue at the workplace but is also slip-tested to DIN 51130 – R10.