Glossary
Ergonomic & anti-fatigue matting terms
The vocabulary North American buyers and suppliers use, defined plainly, in US English, with the honesty we apply everywhere: no invented standards, no certification that doesn’t exist.
- Anti-fatigue mat
- A cushioned floor mat designed to reduce the fatigue caused by standing for long periods on a hard surface such as concrete, by encouraging small leg-muscle movements.
- Beveled edge
- A sloped, tapered mat edge (US spelling: beveled). CCOHS recommends sloped edges because they are less of a trip hazard and let carts roll on and off the mat more easily.
- Closed-cell foam
- Foam with sealed cells that resists absorbing liquids and holds its shape, used in many comfort and standing-desk mats.
- DCOF / SCOF
- Dynamic and Static Coefficient of Friction, the North American measures of slip resistance. (The UK/EU Pendulum Test Value, or PTV, is not used on US specifications.)
- Drainage mat
- A mat with flow-through holes that let water, grease and debris fall below the standing surface, essential for wet commercial-kitchen and wash-down floors.
- Durometer (Shore A)
- A measure of a material’s hardness. Anti-fatigue mats are often quoted in Shore A durometer; a firmer mat supports heavy standing and rolling loads, a softer one is more forgiving for light stationary work.
- Ergonomic (matting)
- Relating to fitting the job to the person. Ergonomic floor matting is anti-fatigue matting chosen and placed as part of a workstation ergonomics effort, alongside working height, movement and footwear.
- ESD / anti-static mat
- Static-controlling matting made from conductive or static-dissipative compounds and grounded (typically per ANSI/ESD S20.20) to give static a controlled path away from sensitive electronics.
- General Duty Clause
- OSHA Section 5(a)(1), requiring employers to provide a workplace "free from recognized hazards." OSHA has no anti-fatigue mat standard; matting can support efforts to reduce recognized standing-related hazards.
- GREENGUARD
- A certification that a specific product meets low chemical-emission limits for indoor air quality. It applies to the certified product, not a brand in general.
- Interlocking / modular tile
- Anti-fatigue tiles that connect to cover long runs and let worn or damaged sections be replaced individually, common on assembly and production lines.
- LEED
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a US green-building rating system. Recycled or low-emitting mats may contribute to specific LEED credits with supporting documentation.
- Low-VOC
- Low volatile-organic-compound emissions, i.e. low chemical off-gassing indoors. Ask for VOC test results or an emissions certification to substantiate the claim.
- NFSI High-Traction
- A slip-resistance certification from the US National Floor Safety Institute. It certifies traction, not fatigue reduction, no standard certifies "anti-fatigue" performance.
- Nitrile (NBR) rubber
- A synthetic rubber that resists oils, coolants and grease far better than standard PVC or vinyl foam, making it the default compound for industrial and commercial-kitchen anti-fatigue mats.
- NSF-listed
- Recognition that a product meets NSF sanitation criteria for food-equipment environments, a useful signal for commercial-kitchen matting alongside drainage and grease resistance.
- Polyurethane (PU)
- A resilient, shape-retaining foam often used in premium office and standing-desk mats; it resists edge curl and is available PVC-free.
- PVC-free
- Made without polyvinyl chloride, chosen for indoor air quality, odor and end-of-life recyclability. The label only says what is absent; always confirm the replacement material.
- Recycled PET (rPET)
- Mat faces made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate, the plastic used for drinking bottles, common on softer, carpet-style mats.
- Recycled rubber
- Rubber matting made largely from reclaimed material, commonly scrap tires ground and re-bonded. Durable and grippy; ask the supplier for the actual recycled-content percentage.
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