Being a teacher can be tough on many levels, but there is a new problem in our education system: teacher fatigue. A recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control found that 72.3% of workers in education services (i.e teachers) reported frequent standing on the job. As cited in the study, these long hours spent standing are associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, physical fatigue and muscle pain which directly and indirectly cost the US nearly $2.6 billion annually.

This is where SmartCells anti-fatigue mats can provide a solution.

SmartCells anti-fatigue mats are engineered to provide optimal levels of comfort for standing workers, like Teachers. Their unique design prevents bottoming out and combines a firmer, stable surface with cylindrical cells that get softer under impact, which creates the perfect balance for maximum comfort all day.

The unique SmartCells are spring-like, in that they cushion as weight is applied, then rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy and reduces fatigue.

The SmartCells line of anti-fatigue mats come with an industry-leading 8-year warranty and are available in three different surface options (smooth, basket weave and carpet top) as well as three colors (Black, gray and light brown) and three sizes (2’X3’, 3’X5’ and 2’X5.5’) to best meet each teacher’s unique needs.

Here at SATECH, Inc., we believe that educating future generations shouldn’t hurt. That’s why during the months of August and September we are donating 1 SmartCells mat to a local teacher for every 3 purchased on our website.

In addition, if you know a teacher who could use a mat, tell them to visit smartcellusa.com and use coupon code “BrightFuture18” to receive 15% off one of our standard anti-fatigue mats.

SmartCells: Solutions to Life’s Painful Problems.

Depending on what you do for a living, the arrival of Summer can be a welcomed event or dreaded occasion.

For many, it signifies vacation, pool time, the beach, and road trips. But for some, specifically road construction workers, it could mean long hours spent standing in the sun.

Not only can this be hot, it can also be dangerous.

According to a recent AAA survey, more than 90 million Americans plan to hit the open highway for a road trip this year. With so many people traveling on the road, the risk posed to construction workers is fairly high.

In fact, recent data from the US Department of Transportation shows that road work zone crashes occur at a rate of once every 5.4 minutes. This includes 70 crashes a day that result in an injury and 12 crashes a week that result in at least one fatality.

As if the heat and risk of injury/death wasn’t bad enough, the long hours flaggers spend standing stationary often causes musculoskeletal stress on the feet, legs and back.

That’s where the SmartCells Flagger Safety mat comes in.

Built with molded in handles and safety reflectors, the portable SmartCells flagger safety mat was designed to help keep road workers comfortable while increasing their safety on the job.

In addition, the rubber-based anti-fatigue technology and industrial design of the SmartCells Flagger Safety mat means it can withstand adverse conditions without ripping or becoming waterlogged.

To order your Flagger Safety Mat, click the button below.

SmartCells: Solutions to Life’s Painful Problems.

A 2016 BLS study found that there were 2.9 million non-fatal workplace injuries (including 317,530 cases of sprains and strains, 154,180 back injuries, and 229,240 injuries from falls) “reported by private industry employers”. Further, nearly 1/3 of the injuries reported resulted in a median time away from work of 8 days. Not to mention, these were only the “reported” injuries. We can imagine there were several more that weren’t reported.

An injury doesn’t just hurt your employee, it can harm their productivity. So, how can you protect both your workforce and your bottom-line?

You can follow in the footsteps of many leading companies such as Amazon, Disney, Boeing, and Costco who proactively invest in their employees’ health and safety by utilizing SmartCells Cushioning Technology.

Ergonomically engineered to resist bottoming out without being too soft, the unique SmartCells anti-fatigue mats, runners, and flooring provide a safe, stable and comfortable surface to work on.

Can ergonomically designed rubber mats really help my workforce and my bottom-line?

They sure can.

In fact, according to a study on lost productivity conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association, 12.6% of workers experience a loss of productivity due to the following pain conditions: headaches(5.4%), back pain (3.2%), musculoskeletal pain (2.0%) and arthritis pain (2.0%).

Based on the results of this study, SmartCells cushioning technology can effectively reduce nearly 41% of the pain associated with lost productivity due to painful conditions (back and musculoskeletal pain). Over time that adds up to a lot of saved productivity and reduced costs.

At SATECH, Inc., we know that your work environment is unique and what worked for one company might not work for yours. Which is why we offer a completely customized anti-fatigue solution for each company. Simply click the button below and fill out the form to request your personalized quote.

SmartCells: Because Life Shouldn’t Hurt.

The rise of ecommerce and the increasingly popular “Microwave Mentality” of the millennial generation is challenging warehouse logistics to adapt to the more demanding needs. They want to order today and have it in hand tomorrow.

In response to this increased demand, several leading companies including Amazon and FedEx are pursuing hybrid warehouse layouts mixing human laborers with automation to better serve their customers and increase “picking speed at the lowest expense”. (Source: Supply Chain Dive)

While the hybrid warehouse facility layout may be optimized for efficient production, it fails to address the ergonomic needs of standing workers.

Considering this, many Amazon warehouses utilize SmartCells Anti-fatigue solutions to keep their “human laborers” productive and feeling good.

Can SmartCells anti-fatigue mats really help you enhance productivity?

The short answer is yes. Keep reading to learn exactly how.

Through years of careful development based on valid third-party research, the unique SmartCells™ cushioning technology has been ergonomically engineered to resist bottoming out without being too soft while providing an optimized balance of stability and instability.

This advanced cushioning technology consists of a rubber surface layer supported by a matrix of rubber columns that soften in response to surface pressure to provide maximum fatigue relief.

SmartCells Anti-fatigue technology is available in pre-sized mats for single workstations or as a custom flooring solution designed to meet the needs of your specific environment.

Do more for your workforce. Feel good while standing at work. With SmartCells ergonomically engineered custom flooring, mats, and insoles. Solutions for the workplace.

By: Suzanne Gainey

In uncertain economic times the last thing you want to be worried about is how you will provide for workers’ compensation, the associated rising medical costs, and the potential cost of losing an injured employee from your crew altogether due to a more extreme work-related injury or disability. Ergonomic productivity innovations could very well be something you haven’t thought much about. Maybe it is time to be proactive, rather than reactive, with worker injury and fatigue-related stresses that could be mitigated or altogether avoided with the proper ergonomic solutions.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 33% of all injury and illness cases are attributed to Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s). MSD’s are injuries or pain in the human musculoskeletal system, including the joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves, tendons, and structures that support limbs, neck and back. Workers who spend too much time on their feet are at a greatly increased risk of pain and discomfort from these types of injuries.

Research conducted by Ergo Plus found that approximately $1 out of every $3 in worker’s compensation costs are attributed to MSD’s. Further, indirect costs from an injury can also lead to up to twenty times the direct cost of the injury itself. With stats like this, employers could save their bottom line by implementing ergonomic innovations in the workplace. Providing a work environment that reduces this type of injury is an opportunity for significant cost savings for any employer.

You may be wondering what the primary risk factors are that you should be thinking about regarding ergonomics.  Let’s explore this a little bit.

Ergo Plus reports that there are three primary ergonomic risk factors to consider.

1. High task repetition
   Many work tasks and cycles are repetitive in nature, and are frequently controlled by hourly or daily production targets and work processes. High task repetition, when combined with other risks factors such as high force and/or awkward postures, can contribute to the formation of an MSD. A job is considered highly repetitive if the cycle time is 30 seconds or less.
2. Forceful exertions
   Many work tasks require high force loads on the human body. Muscle effort increases in response to high force requirements, increasing associated fatigue which can lead to an MSD.
3. Repetitive or sustained awkward postures
   Awkward postures place excessive force on joints and overload the muscles and tendons around the effected joint. Joints of the body are most efficient when they operate closest to the mid-range motion of the joint. Risk of an MSD is increased when joints are worked outside of this mid-range repetitively or for sustained periods of time without adequate recovery time.

Exposure to these workplace risk factors puts workers at a higher level of MSD risk. Fortunately, these types of factors can be mitigated by ergonomic innovations. We would also like to add to this list for the standing workers, what are they standing on? Are your workers standing on a hard or unforgiving flooring surface, such as concrete, for long hours while they are completing repetitive tasks as described above? If so, SmartCells has custom flooring solutions for virtually any workspace or workstation configuration.

We know that it isn’t easy staying ahead of the many challenges businesses face today. Keeping your company afloat in uncertain economic times may take some creative solutions on all fronts. We hope this information helps you gain an understanding of how ergonomic solutions could positively affect your workers and potentially save your company from going under due to injury related costs from MSD’s.

At SmartCells, we provide solutions to top companies such as Amazon, Costco, and Boeing to name a few. SmartCells® Cushioning Technology mats, flooring and insoles are ergonomically engineered to help your workforce feel great, and meet your ergonomic health, safety, and productivity needs.

Do More.  Feel Good.  With SmartCells.  www.smartcellsusa.com .

It’s true. You can have too much of a good thing. Take for example carrots, water or exercise. We can agree that each of these three things are very good for you. But, did you know that if you eat too many carrots your skin could become discolored from too much beta-carotene? Likewise, drinking too much water can cause a dilution of sodium in your blood creating an electrolyte imbalance and too much exercise can harm the effectiveness of your immune system and muscle recovery as well as increase fatigue.

The same is true for standing desks. While there is no denying the health, productivity, and comfort benefits of using standing desks, too much standing can be a bad thing for your health.

Now don’t get us wrong, we think standing desks have some great ergonomic benefits. In fact, we have several in our corporate office. The problem though, is that the rise of standing desks (pun intended) has many thinking about ergonomic solutions from the waist up while failing to consider equipment to support the lower half of the worker’s body.

The reality is, prolonged activity whether it is sitting or standing walking or running, takes a toll on the lower half of your body. After all, our feet, ankles, knees, and hips support the weight of our entire body.

So, now you must be wondering what ergonomic solutions are out there to support your lower half. Fortunately for you, we love helping people feel good. Below we have gathered several ergonomic products you can invest in to help keep your lower half comfortable.

Leg and Foot Rests
During extended periods of sitting, blood can pool in your feet and legs causing swelling due to poor circulation. An easy way to remedy this is by investing in leg and foot rests. The ideal foot rest will keep your legs from dangling and encourage circulation.

The Right Chair Cushion
Whether you have a height-adjustable desk or a regular desk, chances are you spend some time sitting during the day and it’s likely that the stock chair cushion is not very comfortable. Several companies make aftermarket cushions that are ergonomically designed to alleviate pain and numbness, while encouraging air flow and circulation.

Compression Socks
We know, we know. Compression socks have historically been used by the elderly but recently there has been an influx of compression sock use in younger generations. This is especially true for people in professions that require extended amounts of standing and walking. So, what do they do? They prevent swelling and improve circulation.

SmartCells Anti-Fatigue Products
Available in mats, insoles and custom flooring, the SmartCells line of Anti-fatigue products are ergonomically engineered to help you feel great, and meet your health, safety and productivity needs.

The unique SmartCells Cushioning Technology consists of a rubber surface layer integrated with an underlying array of cylindrical rubber cells that soften in response to surface pressure to provide maximum fatigue relief. The SmartCells act like springs that cushion as weight is applied and then rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy, providing an unparalleled responsiveness that helps reduce standing/walking fatigue.

Learn more about how SmartCells can be incorporated into your workplace at http://bit.ly/scindustrialwork .

By Suzanne Gainey

Did you know that 3 out of 4 American workers describe their work as stressful? Not only is workplace stress affecting your employees, but it is affecting the bottom line of your company. Workplace stress is costing employers an estimated $200 billion per year in absenteeism, lower productivity, staff turnover, workers compensation, medical insurance, and other stress-related expenses. While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with productivity and performance at work. This can also have serious impact on the physical and emotional health of your workers.

Data from FDU tells us that employees typically work more today than they did 25 years ago, adding the equivalent of a 13^th month of work to their workload every year. Additionally, 60% of lost workdays each year can be attributed to stress-related causes. Stress can have a direct effect on how employees handle themselves at work. Employees under stress may make more mistakes, have trouble concentrating, become disorganized, become angry or just stop caring altogether about their work. Once an employee reaches the level of not caring and not being able to concentrate while on the job, he or she is reaching the realm of what we call ‘presenteeism’.

‘Presenteeism’ describes an employee who is coming to work each day in a less than optimal state either physically, mentally, or both. This type of employee may have become disengaged from their work due to excessive on-the-job stress. In a 2001 survey from Stress.org, nearly 40% of workers described their office environment as “most like a real-life survivor program”. This troubling statistic describes the heightened stress many workers are experiencing at work. Employers would likely prefer their employees enjoyed, or were at least neutral in their attitude about coming to work, rather than having them feeling that they are fighting to survive each day at the office. So, what can be done to reduce stress in the workplace?

There are two types of stress, mental and physical stress. Let’s start with the mental stress factors and some possible solutions. Many employers are responding to mental stress in the workplace by offering support systems and tools to assist the employee. Nowadays employers are offering everything from a more flexible work-week scheduling system, to formal psychological therapy, relaxation breathing techniques, diet and exercise programs, and friendly workplace contests just to name a few. The solution to mental stress differs from person to person, which is why it is good for employers to offer several options to help in the reduction of mental workplace stress.

The second type of stress is physical stress on the body and immune system. To help reduce physical stress on the job there are many ergonomic solutions available on the market today. In fact, there is an entire field now dedicated to ergonomic workplace solutions for employers to provide for their workers. One of the key areas to think about is the actual workstation set-up. For example, is it the correct height for the employee to accomplish work comfortably? Work stations with equipment that is adjustable could be an answer to this problem. Another thing to think about is does the employee have the necessary gear to make the job as efficient as possible? Making sure that your employees have appropriate lighting and safety gear to accomplish the task at hand is a must. I had a friend tell me they once had to work through a power outage with ineffective dollar store flashlights in a factory warehouse setting. My friend felt extremely unsafe during this circumstance and had trouble performing his job well in this setting. He lost all confidence in the employer for forcing the staff to continue to work through the power outage and ended up quitting the job. Finally, what is the employee standing on all day while at their work station? We recommend finding an appropriate flooring solution to get employees off hard flooring surfaces such as concrete. Standing on hard concrete all day does not make for happy legs, lower back, or feet.

But, how do you know what type or flooring or mats to choose for your workforce?

Many anti-fatigue mats on the market today are made of foam that feels soft and squishy when very little pressure is applied. Since foam breaks down and compresses easily, it can bottom out, rendering it ineffective as an anti-fatigue intervention. To counter this, many foam mats are marketed as the “thickest”, the “plushest” or the “most buoyant”, as they get thicker and thicker. The downside is that the thicker they get, the less stable they are, much like standing on a mattress. This increases fatigue from standing as well as increases the risk of injuries and tripping hazards.

Further, our SmartCells research team has found that mats tend to bottom out if there is an imbalance between compressibility and height. A mat that is overly soft acts like it bottoms out because the material compresses too easily. In addition, a mat that is not thick enough may bottom out even if it has the right compressibility. This balance between thickness and compressibility is often referred to as ‘densification strain’. As a rule of thumb, if a material compresses more than 50% of its thickness, it tends to act as though it is bottomed out.

A standing surface that has been optimized to reduce fatigue and injuries while increasing productivity will have critical elements that work in collaboration with each other such as optimal compressibility, support that allows stability and instability, and a low-profile height that will not allow bottoming out.

Through years of careful development based on valid third-party research, the unique SmartCells™ cushioning technology has been specifically designed to resist bottoming out without being too soft, while providing a stable surface.

SmartCells® Cushioning Technology mats, flooring, and insoles are ergonomically engineered to help you feel great, and meet your health, safety and productivity needs.