Wearwell Ergonomic Matting FAQ's

 

 

1. Can you customize matting?

Custom mats and floors are our specialty! Our online catalog allows you to specify custom lengths and widths for most products. If you don’t see what you need in the catalog, contact us and we can find a solution together.

2. Are your products resistant to chemicals and industrial fluids?

• Download our Chemical Resistance Guide for a complete list of tested products.
• If your chemical is not on the chart, please call us for further guidance. Before you call, please have specific information including an MSDS of the chemical in question, if available.
• If the chemical is quite caustic, or if we cannot definitively answer your questions, please request a sample for testing.

3. Where do I find product Spec Sheets?

Up to date product specifications are available when ever and where ever you want it- all from the Wearwell website!  Simply go to any product page and click on the download or print icon in the top right-hand corner.

4. I need to purchase some Wearwell mats.  Where should I go?

Please reach out to IndustrialSafety.com, they are a leading distributor of Wearwell mats.  They typically have the best pricing and the most knowledgeable sales people.

5. Where do I find the MSDS for a mat?

Wearwell products fall under the definition of “Articles” as outlined by OSHA. This means that under normal conditions, there is no expectation that our products release amounts of hazardous materials that pose a physical hazard or health risk to our customers. So no MSDS is available or required for Wearwell goods.

6. How do I clean my mat?

Download our Mat Cleaning Guidelines.

7. What is the life expectancy of this mat?

The life expectancy can vary dramatically depending on a multitude of factors such as: foot traffic, exposure to oils, caustic chemicals or fluids, excessive temperatures, cleaning and maintenance schedule, compound, etc. The following are general guidelines based on our customers’ experience (your experience may vary):

• 5 Years or more - Urethane Mats (Ex: Rejuvenator®)
• 3 to 5 years - SpongeCote® Mats (Ex: Diamond-Plate SpongeCote®) and Injection molded PVC (Ex: ErgoDeck®)
• 2 to 3 years - Molded Rubber Mats (Ex: 24/Seven®)
• 6 to 12 months - PVC Sponges (Ex: Tuf Sponge)

8. Are there studies that prove anti-fatigue mats actually work, i.e. that they reduce fatigue and increase productivity?

Yes. We have an excellent summary of the most often cited studies and a yearlong productivity trial conducted at a manufacturing plant in Tennessee. You can review the results in our Proven Cost Reduction PDF.

9. What is the difference between an ESD and a Non-conductive mat?

ESD mats protect sensitive equipment by drawing static electricity off workers before they touch susceptible chemicals or apparatus. Humans quickly generate static electricity through friction caused by walking or using chairs with casters. With a simple touch, this static electricity is passed from the person to sensitive electronics. One such shock can destroy internal microchips or cause a spark that can ignite flammable chemicals. However, if the person steps on a ESD mat, the static is safely transferred from the person to the ground.
Most commonly called Switchboard Matting, non-conductive mats insulate and protect workers from deadly shocks generated by high voltage equipment. (This type of electrical shock is dangerous because it has high amperage.) These mats will not allow the electricity to conduct through the worker, and hence protects workers from serious injury.

10. I have an ESD anti-fatigue mat, but my employees still get static shocks and I am afraid this static discharge is damaging our products. What is the problem?

There are two possibilities:

1. The mats are not grounded. Every ESD mat has a snap to connect to a ground cord, which then must be grounded to an electrical outlet or similar conduit. If the mat is not grounded there is no place for the static electricity to go. The employees will still be able to pass it on to the equipment.
2. The employees have insulated shoes and are not wearing heel grounders. Most shoes have soles that are not designed to conduct electricity (i.e. any shoes with rubber soles for example). In order to allow the static electricity to flow off the employee, he or she must wear heel grounders and the long fabric strip must touch his or her skin.

11. How should I ground my Modular ESD (788 & 789) mats?

Our Modular ESD mats (788 & 789) have a resistance between 3x10^4 and 5x10^5 ohms which falls in the low end of the conductive range. There are two different methods for grounding these mats.

1. Use a conductive coating for the floor where the mats are used. This method prevents the need for grounding cords. There are various resistance ranges for coatings to meet the various needs of each user.
2. A second method for grounding utilizes snaps. While each user’s needs are different, a good rule of thumb is the resistance will go by a factor of 10 for every seam between an area and the nearest grounded snap. For example if you have 3 mats connected end to end and the one on the far left is grounded the resistance at the far right will be 3x10^7 ohm.

Different users will require different resistances to ground. It is important to test the mat at various places to ground and set up the area to meet your individual requirements. If you aren’t sure where to start we suggest that you begin with no more than 2 ungrounded tiles between grounded ones.

12. What does Coefficient of Friction mean?

Coefficient of Friction or COF is the measure of traction provided by the surface of the mat. It is a measurement of force that must be exerted before an object slips. Therefore, the higher the number, the better the traction. OSHA recommends a minimum COF of .5 in dry areas and .25 in wet. The ADA recommends .6 on flat surfaces and .8 on ramps
Our GRITSHIELD and ErgoDeck No-Slip cleated products are the best Wearwell® mats to use in slippery areas. GRITSHIELD is our unique grit system that provides up to 40% higher traction. ErgoDeck with No-Slip cleats are a revolutionary solution for high traction, longer–lasting slip prevention in even the most extreme environments.

13. How can I tell how soft a mat will be?

The actual test for softness is determined by the material and manufacturing process of the mat. There are two that conform to Wearwell products:
Compression Deflection - This is one way of measuring the softness or comfort level of a sponge mat. It measures how much a person's foot sinks into the mat – the higher the reading, the softer the mat. The results are affected by the thickness of the sponge backing and the flexibility of the surface material. We consider .20 - .5 the ideal range using the ASTM D575 test methods.
Durometer - The measure of hardness/softness of molded rubber and molded PVC mats. As a general rule, the lower the durometer, the softer the mat. Most of our mats range between 45-70 durometer. We consider between 45 and 65 durometer to be ideal range for molded rubber mats using the ASTM D2240 test methods.

14. Don't  shoes and insoles do the same thing?

There’s no question that having the right footwear is important, but when it comes to health, safety and performance, thesurface matters!