Step Into Stress Relief With SmartCells

The Summer season may contribute to lower productivity, but it certainly isn’t the only killer of productivity on the job.

A study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 51 percent of employees said they were less productive at work because of stress. Furthermore, it is estimated that stress costs the US economy more than $300 billion a year in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity and medical, legal and insurance costs.

To combat stress in the workplace, many forward-thinking companies are investing in health and wellness programs as well as ergonomically optimizing work stations to reduce pain and stress while increasing productivity.

One such ergonomic option many companies are leaning towards is the use of the standing desk. Although this is a great way to increase health and productivity while decreasing stress, standing for extended periods of time can also be detrimental to employee health.

In fact, prolonged standing in work environments has been proven to make employees more susceptible to musculo-skeletal pain and fatigue.

One solution to reduce the negative effects of prolonged standing is to invest in quality anti-fatigue mats or flooring for your workforce. But, with so many different anti-fatigue options to choose from, how do you find the right one?

We have been tackling this issue in our 9-part series titled: Essential Questions You Must Ask Before Purchasing an Anti-Fatigue Mat.

In our June Newsletter, we drew correlations between beach days and anti-fatigue mats while discussing the optimal balance of shock attenuation and resilience. This month we will explore the sixth essential question in our series:

Does the surface get softer as it is compressed?

When we first start talking with potential clients we have found that there is a common popular notion that if a hard surface is bad for standing, then a soft surface is good for standing. If that was the case, why not just put mattresses down for standing workers? The fact of the matter is, is that this notion couldn’t be further from the truth.

To further play into this false notion, many anti-fatigue products are constructed from overly soft, squishy materials such as foam or gel, with claims of being the “thickest”, “plushest”, “most buoyant” anti-fatigue surface.

Regardless of the variations in construction, from domed foam geometries to draped top-covers with various surface textures, there is one challenge shared by all foam-based products: foam gets harder as it is compressed. And gel. Well, gel just squishes out of the way.

So, if the objective is simply to provide a softer surface, why do it with a material that gets harder or squishes out of the way when used for standing or walking?

The solution to this question is the SmartCells cushioning technology. The unique 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 unparalleled responsiveness that helps reduce standing fatigue.

SmartCells Cushioning Technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.

Can Fall Protection Products Increase Mobility and Safety?

The changes our elderly loved ones experience as they age can often be very difficult both emotionally and physically. The increased doctor appointments often coupled with decreased independence and mobility can be supremely frustrating and stressful for seniors.

Family members and caregivers are often faced with the difficult task of keeping seniors safe while respecting their desire for independence. The difficulty of this is greatly multiplied when the elderly loved one suffers from a lack of physical mobility and requires the use of a walker, wheel chair, or other wheeled device.

SmartCells Fall Protection products easily allow wheel chairs to roll across the surface.

A study conducted by the University of California San Francisco and the Disability Statistics Center found that 14 percent of our elderly population and 40 percent of adults aged 80 and older use some sort of mobility device such as a cane, walker, wheel chair, etc. This rate is 10 times higher than mobility device use by working-age adults.

One of the easiest ways to keep your mobility-impaired loved ones safe when you can’t be around is by using products such as SmartCells Fall protection mats and flooring.

One of the most common questions we receive concerning our fall protection products is: how well do wheeled objects roll across your product?

Generally objects such as walkers and wheelchairs roll easily across the SmartCells fall protection products without increasing the risk of a trip hazard. However, the ease and force required to roll larger equipment across SmartCells Fall protection products largely depends on the size of the wheels and the weight of the equipment.

Although, pushing the equipment on the responsive flooring may require a higher push force than pushing on the regular flooring in all conditions with all equipment. The responsive flooring push forces still fall within ergonomics guidelines and would be considered an acceptable implementation by the Workplace Health Ergonomics team.

The unique SmartCells technology incorporates a dual-stiffness design that provides the stability of a hard surface while also retaining the capability to compress and cushion the impact of a fall.

SmartCells fall protection products include bedside mats, which have a low profile and beveled edges, enabling wheel chairs to easily roll over them.  In addition to bedside mats, SATECH, Inc. also offers custom fall protection flooring to fill any space or partial room when a single bedside mat is not large enough.

SmartCells Fall Protection products will be there for your loved ones when you can’t.

What do beach days & anti-fatigue mats have in common?

With Summer around the corner, we have been daydreaming of long days spent relaxing at the beach. We can all relate to a day at the beach lugging all our gear to our ideal spot on a sandy shore.  Despite how relaxing it can be, walking on the beach is a totally different story. Sure, the sand may be warm, playful and inviting but can also be quite fatiguing because of how soft and unstable it is.

Did you know that there are some interesting parallels that can be drawn between walking/standing in sand and finding the right anti-fatigue mat? This month we continue our exploration of the 9 essential questions you must ask before purchasing an anti-fatigue mat by considering question number 5:

Does the anti-fatigue mat surface balance shock attenuation (absorb energy) and resilience (return energy)?

The ability of an anti-fatigue surface to attenuate or absorb shock without bottoming out ensures that impacts from heel-strikes, shifting of weight, sudden movements and even falls are cushioned adequately without causing injury.  In other words, proper shock attenuation when balanced with the right amount of elasticity(resilience), can ensure a less discomfort from standing and walking activities.

This is where the sand comes in. Too much absorption, may create the same sensation as standing in sand, which may absorb shock, but is very uncomfortable as a working surface.

However, shock absorption is only half of the equation. The other half is that the mat needs to have the right amount of resilience.

A good anecdote is to picture a solid object being dropped on a hard surface like a concrete floor. Due to the inflexible nature of the concrete, much of the energy is re-directed back into the object.

Now picture that object is your body, each step you take on that concrete floor you receive those impact forces back into your joints, ligaments and musculature, which over time and with repetition can be painful and debilitating.

Considering sand and concrete are on opposite ends of the surface resiliency spectrum, it is easy to conclude that an effective anti-fatigue surface must balance shock attenuation and resiliency.

The SmartCells Solution

Biomechanically engineered, the unique SmartCells Cushioning Technology provides an optimized balance between force attenuation (absorption) and resilience (rebound). When weight/force (energy) is applied to the SmartCells, they act like springs which cushion impact forces, without bottoming out. That energy is “held” as the pressure remains, then is returned as the stored energy is lessened or removed (shifting weight, walking, etc.). In the final phase, the SmartCells actively rebound (push back like a spring), effectively providing absorption and resilience at the same time.

SmartCells Cushioning technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.

Fracture Rate: The Number That Could Save Your Life

According to the Center for Disease Control in 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 662,000 were hospitalized.

The CDC also reported that 20-30 percent of elders who fall, suffer moderate to severe injuries such as lacerations, hip fractures, or head traumas.

A bone fracture, specifically a hip fracture, is often seen as the beginning of an elderly loved ones demise and has the high potential of becoming fatal.

If you have read our fall protection blog in the past, you have most likely come across the phrase “fracture rate” and wondered what it means and why it is important.

SmartCells Build-Your-Own Fall Protection Mat

“Fracture rate” is one way to measure the potential safety of a fall protection product. The term “fracture rate” describes the ratio of bone fractures from falls on a surface to the total falls on that surface. As you can imagine, the better the fracture rate, the safer and more effective a product will be for your loved ones.

Dr. Frank Knoefel, of the Bruyère Research Institute in Canada, conducted a retrospective study in which he and his associates compared the frequency of hip fractures that resulted from residents living in rooms with regular hard surface flooring to residents living in rooms equipped with SmartCells fall protection flooring.

The study found a 2.4% fracture rate among residents living in rooms with regular flooring, while the SmartCells fall protection floor resulted in a 0% fracture rate among its residents.  Research continues to gain statistical confidence in these findings.

The unique SmartCells technology incorporates a dual-stiffness design that provides the stability of a hard surface while also retaining the capability to compress and cushion the impact of a fall.

SmartCells fall protection products include bedside mats, which have a low profile and beveled edges, enabling wheel chairs to easily roll over them.  In addition to bedside mats, SATECH, Inc. also offers custom fall protection flooring to fill any space or partial room when a single bedside mat is not large enough.

SmartCells Fall Protection products will be there for your loved ones when you can’t.

Foam Anti-fatigue Mats Actually Cause More Fatigue

When shopping for a mattress, a typical term people come across is “memory foam.” In fact, many people who have slept on a memory foam mattress rave about its comfort, and claim to never be able to sleep on a regular mattress again.

Memory foam is a polyurethane material that is sensitive to pressure and temperature, used especially in mattresses, where it molds to the shape of an individual’s body. This material, while it can be comfortable to sleep on, is often used in anti-fatigue mats.

Imagine standing on a mattress all day while you work. It would not only be challenging, but also extremely uncomfortable to complete your daily work tasks since your muscles would have to work harder to maintain your balance. You would probably go home exhausted, sore and possibly injured.

This leads us to our next topic in our ongoing series regarding the essential questions to ask before purchasing an anti-fatigue mat:

Does the anti-fatigue surface adequately respond to movement?

Our comprehensive research and development has taught us that a responsive anti-fatigue mat should do two things.

  1. It should rapidly return to its original shape as weight is shifted. If a surface has a delayed “rebound” it will likely already be partially compressed as a load is repeatedly placed on it, reducing its ability to provide the most effective benefit of its elastic modulus.
  2. The response should be “dynamic”, pushing back like a spring, in response to and in-phase with changes in pressure from movement. The result should be a surface that is highly compressible without bottoming out or being overly soft, while at the same time providing stability and firmness.

A well-designed anti-fatigue mat will provide active responsiveness that works in concert with appropriate bottoming-out depth (relative to its compressibility), a balance of stability and instability, and optimal compressibility.

The unique SmartCells cushioning technology has been designed to be “in-phase” with the movements of the body, providing a remarkable anti-fatigue characteristic that helps every subtle and overt movement involved in standing.

The advanced 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 rebound when the weight shifts, which returns energy, providing unparalleled responsiveness that helps reduce standing fatigue.

SmartCells Cushioning Technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.

3 Potentially Fatal Hazards of Using Sub-Par Fall Protection

According to the AARP, 90 percent of seniors desire to stay in their own homes rather than live in a retirement community/home. This trend, known as aging-in-place, is expected to continue growing in popularity.

As more and more of our elderly loved ones opt to age-in-place it is becoming increasingly important to educate oneself with all the safety products available in today’s market to keep our elderly loved ones out of harm’s way.

In the past several weeks we have blogged about the qualities one should look for in fall protection mats and flooring. We have touched on topics such as the difference between foam, gel and rubber mats, infection control and the difference between fall protection and injury prevention.

This week’s essential question to ask if you are thinking of utilizing a fall protection mat or fall protection floor is:

How will the fall protection surface impact daily activities?

This question is specifically important to consider if your elderly loved one is balance impaired, shuffles their feet when walking and/or has issues with mobility that requires the of use wheel chairs, walkers or any other wheeled devices.

Soft and squishy foam-based fall protection mats generally need to be moved if an at-risk individual ambulatory or moving about. If these mats are not moved out of the way they may pose serious risks including:

  1. Tripping Hazards — Thick, squishy mats can cause a fall for “shufflers”.
  2. Cause a fall — Thick, squishy, unstable mats may cause a fall to occur due to their lack of stability, or make it challenging to turn or pivot if a toe or heel “catches” on a too-soft surface.
  3. Push/Pull Issues– Rolling loads can cause too much compression of soft material to allow individuals and caregivers to easily move wheeled devices.

For these reasons, a typical protocol is to move the mat if the at-risk person is up and about, or the caregiver is providing care.  The best solution is to use SmartCells fall protection flooring, which provides protection without the use of matting.  But, if fall protection matting is used, you’ll want to find one  that is cushioned enough to protect your elderly loved one in case of a fall yet stable enough to allow them to move with confidence and safety?

The answer is SmartCells Fall Protection matting and flooring.

While remaining responsive enough to cushion and protect in the case of a fall, the unique SmartCells Cushioning dual-stiffness technology, provides caregivers and balanced-impaired individuals a stable surface to walk or roll across safely without having to move it out of the way.  The SmartCells fall protection technology is “statistically indistinguishable from a standard rigid floor” according to independent, international researchers, while at the same time providing significant force attenuation.  Foam-based mats would need to be 4-5 times thicker than SmartCells to provide the same protection.

Comparative studies and research indicate substantial reduction in fall-related injuries such as contusions and skin tears when SmartCells fall injury prevention flooring or mats are used.

SmartCells Fall Protection mats are available in a variety of colors (Black, Light Brown, and Grey) and configurations ranging from build-your-own mats and custom flooring to pre-sized mats (2×3, 3×5 and 24×68).

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

-By Lincoln Hollis

 

 

 

SmartCells Anti-Fatigue Pharmacy Mats Help Reduce Fatigue Related Prescription Errors

According to the Federal Drug Administration approximately 1.3 million people are injured each year due to preventable medication mistakes. These preventable medication mistakes cost the healthcare system $2 billion each year.

Statistically, a pharmacist fills a prescription every 7.5 minutes.  8 every hour.  64 every day.  321 every week.  16,667 every year.

According to a recent study, nearly 4 billion prescriptions are filled each year and there are only about 240,000 pharmacists nationwide.  With these kinds of numbers it should be no surprise that over 51.5 million prescription mistakes occur every year, and any reasonable step than can be taken to avoid mistakes is worth considering.  Most pharmacists concur that distractions and fatigue significantly influence the number of errors.

SmartCells anti-fatigue pharmacy mats and flooring can help reduce fatigue-related prescription errors.

Pharmacists can spend a great deal of time on their feet walking between storage isles, compounding areas, computer terminals and customer service counters.  This extended time standing and walking contributes to fatigue and musculoskeletal stress that becomes a nagging and painful distraction.  This is corroborated in a recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association that found 13% of all workers experience pain in the workplace that reduces productivity.

SmartCells anti-fatigue pharmacy mats and flooring is one solution applied by leading pharmacy groups, including the US Military and leading healthcare providers throughout the country.

SmartCells Anti-fatigue pharmacy mats, runners and custom flooring provide an effective solution for reducing the fatigue and related pain from standing work.  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 and reduces fatigue associated with standing.

SmartCells anti-fatigue pharmacy mats provide optimized compressibility and a stable surface that responds dynamically to subtle and overt movements of the body.  Typical soft and squishy mats do not provide the right compressibility, are often unstable, and frequently bottom-out aggravating the very problems the users are seeking to solve with a floor mat.

Recently a pharmacist and a leading healthcare clinic which has already adopted the SmartCells Anti-Fatigue pharmacy mat technology said this:

“The SmartCells® Anti-fatigue pharmacy mat is the best mat I’ve used in over 30 years as a pharmacist. It looks and performs as well as the day it was installed over 7 years ago (2006). The mat stays in place and doesn’t shift around on the floor. What I like best is going home after a long shift with no foot, leg or back discomfort. The SmartCells Mat is a champ!”

The renowned SmartCells cushioning technology by SATECH, Inc. is trusted by leading companies that take employee safety, comfort and productivity seriously.

The SmartCells anti-fatigue technology is especially important where infection control is critical.  SmartCells are made of non-porous rubber that will not absorb liquid, unlike typical foam mats.

With the addition of SATECH’s new online retail store, acquiring SmartCells anti-fatigue pharmacy mats  has never been easier. On SATECH’s website pharmacists and consumers can view different variations of SmartCells products, learn about the technology and determine which solution is best for them.

SATECH Inc. is a technology company that specializes in the development and marketing of SmartCells cushioning solutions that enhance performance, reduce fatigue and help prevent fall-related injuries. SmartCells mats and flooring have broad application in the industrial workplace, healthcare markets, and everyday consumer households. For more information, please call (360) 748-8711, visit www.smartcellsusa.com or view the following video: http://dev.smartcellsusa.com/about/videos/ .

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View the Original Press Release Here

How much is pain costing you?

Whether you work in an office, retail or warehouse environment, chances are you have experienced musculoskeletal pain on the job. Often in retail and warehouse settings, workers experience pain and loss of productivity due to pain associated with prolonged standing.
While office workers often experience musculoskeletal pain due to prolonged sitting, a new trend in offices is to utilize a standing desk. Sure, standing desks relieve pain from sitting, but it can also cause pain from standing for prolonged periods of time.
As-if experiencing musculoskeletal pain isn’t enough, the loss of productivity and financial burdens brought on can be debilitating. According to data collected by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, the direct cost of a musculoskeletal claim is $5,625. Based on projections made by Liberty Mutual the total cost (indirect and direct) for a claim can rise up to $33,750.

Considering how fast expenses accrue when dealing with musculoskeletal injuries, it is easy to see why acquiring an optimized anti-fatigue mat is a good investment.
This blog has attempted to answer the essential questions one should ask before buying an anti-fatigue mat. So far we have discussed compressibility, and having an adequate balance between instability and stability in an anti-fatigue mat. The next question is:

Does the surface resist bottoming out?
Many “so-called” anti-fatigue mats are made of a material that feels soft and squishy when very little pressure / force is applied (mostly foam). Since foam can break down easily, and compresses so easily, it can easily 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, as discussed in our earlier blog is that the thicker they get, the less stable they are, much like standing on a mattress, and can actually increase fatigue from standing, and possibly cause injuries and create tripping hazards.

A mat tends to bottom out if there is an imbalance between its compressibility and its height. A mat that is overly soft acts like it bottoms out as the material compresses too easily. 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 general rule of thumb if a material compresses more than about 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 and increase productivity will have critical elements that work in concert: Compressibility that is not too soft, combined with support that allows stability and instability, combined with the appropriate height that will not allow bottoming out. Next up: responsiveness.

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

The unique SmartCells™ cushioning technology will provide comfort for anyone who stands for extended periods of time. The 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 unparalleled responsiveness that helps reduce standing fatigue.
SmartCells™ Cushioning Technology: It’s not how the mat feels, it’s how YOU feel.

-By Lincoln Hollis

SmartCells Anti-Fatigue Mats Help MS Sufferer Stand Comfortably

In honor of multiple sclerosis awareness we are pleased to share this open letter from a SmartCells Anti-fatigue mat customer.

Dear SATECH,

As you know I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (M.S.) in 1984. As the years passed it has progressed to the point where I must use a cane, walker or wheelchair to maintain my balance in order to perform the usual daily activities (those that most people take for granted). One of the most difficult has been preparing meals and washing dishes. Anything that takes standing for even a short period to accomplish the task created a great deal of fatigue and required constant periods of resting.

I am so pleased to tell you that since being introduced to the SmartCells anti-fatigue mat I not only am having less trouble standing for periods of time but I have been able to give up the back brace I was using.  My back and leg fatigue have almost disappeared with the use of this wonderful mat and my energy has returned to being comfortable instead of being exhausted (even after the smallest tasks.) You can only imagine what a change it has made in my life.  MS is a complicated disease and affects most everyone differently but I recommend SmartCells Anti-fatigue mats to anyone who has any mobility (even a limited amount) to try it and I am sure they will benefit and be as pleased as I am with the positive results.

Thank you for introducing this product to me – I am so grateful I know I will use it forever.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Patty

 

SmartCells anti-fatigue mats are the perfect solution for pain associated with standing for extended periods of time.

SmartCells Child Safety Mats: We’ll be There When You Can’t Be

From the moment one first learns that they are going to be a parent their whole life changes. They no longer have only themselves to worry about. They now have a little one that relies on them for everything from changing diapers to food, shelter and most importantly safety.

Often in parents, particularly in mothers, a “mama bear” instinct surfaces in which the parent will go to extraordinary lengths to protect their kids and provide safety. Unfortunately, parents can’t always be there to protect their children from harm, which is why there is a continually growing industry of child safety products ranging from socket covers and drawer locks to high-tech monitoring devices.

These products are great at reducing the risk of potential harm but most do little to reduce injuries caused by the inevitable trip and fall scenario.

According to the Center for Disease Control, falls among children ages 0 to 19 years old are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries and account for 50% of all traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, 2.8 million children nationwide are treated in emergency rooms for fall related injuries.

SmartCells Child Safety mats are the perfect solution to keeping children safe from fall-related injuries when the parent can’t be there for them.

SmartCells fall protection mats and flooring products have long been trusted in the health and senior care industries to protect our elderly loved ones against serious fall-related injuries.

Comparative studies and research to date have yet to record any broken bones on a SmartCells product, and indicate a substantial reduction in other fall-related injuries such as contusions and skin tears.

In fact, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, using crash test dummies, for a specific type of fall where the mechanics of the fall generated a whip-like action with the head striking an unprotected surface, they published an 89% reduction in force on SmartCells.  On an unprotected floor, research indicates a 40% likelihood of severe brain damage from a head impact with this type of fall mechanism, but on a SmartCells fall protection mat this was reduced to less than 1%.

SmartCells child safety mats combine effectiveness with style and quality to blend perfectly in any room in your home and include features like a low profile height (1/2”) and molded-in beveled edges which reduce tripping hazards.

As we all know, kids often spill food and drinks, to combat this SmartCells child safety mats are made of latex-free rubber that will not absorb liquids, which allows them to be easily cleaned, and helps avoid infection control issues.

SmartCells child safety mats are available in a variety of colors (Black, Light Brown, and Grey) and configurations ranging from standard sizes (2×3, 3×5 and 24×68), to build-your-own mats and custom flooring.

With SmartCells child safety mats you can have peace of mind while your children play.

SmartCells Fall Protection: We’ll be there when you can’t be.

-By Lincoln Hollis