Thermal comfort describes workers’ state of mind when it comes to whether they feel too hot or too cold. Environmental, work-related, and personal factors affect thermal comfort in the workplace. As an employer, you have control over some environmental factors, such as sources of heat in the workplace and can influence personal factors (how much employees can modify their clothing to be more comfortable). Unfortunately, environmental factors (air temperature, humidity) and work-related factors (how physically demanding the work is) are harder to monitor and tackle.
By taking special care in monitoring thermal comfort, you can improve morale and productivity in the workplace, as well as ensure the health and safety of workers. When faced with uncomfortable and cold environments, employees may take unsafe shortcuts as their ability to concentrate on tasks may start to deteriorate. According to the HSE, the easiest way to find out your employees’ thermal comfort is to directly ask them!
To encourage the maintenance of safe practices in winter, try to understand the motivation behind behaviours such as adding clothes, unconscious changes in posture, moving closer to heat sources, etc. Check in with your employees to understand what temperature ranges are comfortable enough to wear the correct PPE equipment. Ensure that they can make minor individual adjustments to their clothing to adapt to the temperature. To carry out a basic thermal comfort risk assessment, the HSE has created a Thermal Comfort Checklist.
| Factor | Description |
| Air temperature | Does the air feel warm or hot? Are there temperature fluctuation in the workplace during a normal working day? Does the temperature in the workplace change a lot during hot or cold seasonal variations? |
| Radiant temperature | Is there a heat source in the environment? Does any equipment produce steam? Is the workplace affected by external weather conditions? |
| Humidity | Are your employees wearing PPE that is vapour impermeable? Do your employees complain that the air is too dry? Do your employees complain that the air is humid? |
| Air movement | Is cold or warm air blowing directly into the workspace? Are employees complaining of draught? |
| Metabolic rate | Is work rate moderate to intensive in warm or hot conditions? Are employees sedentary in cool or cold environments? |
| PPE | Is PPE being worn that protects against harmful toxins, chemicals, asbestos, flames, extreme heat, etc? Can employees make individual alterations to their clothing in response to the thermal environment? Is respiratory protection being worn? |
| What your employees think | Do your employees think that there is a thermal comfort problem? |
A simple way that you can improve thermal comfort in the workplace as an employer is to provide matting that improves standing workers’ comfort. As winter sets in, the floors get colder and the hours working while standing seem longer. Hard concrete floors coupled with decreased temperatures can only spell trouble for your standing employees’ health and morale. Working in these conditions can affect blood circulation, cause joint pain, and eventually cause musculoskeletal disorders.
Matting is the best way to provide an insulating layer between the cold hard floor and your workers. Made from Rubber, Foam or PVC, matting can help promote a more comfortable posture and reduce the onset of fatigue while withstanding heat from working conditions. Matting also constantly provides protection from the cold, wet, or oily floors. We offer a range of anti-fatigue matting solutions for all budgets. Thankfully, most of them have insulating properties that your workplace can benefit from. Find our bestsellers and our picks below:
Economical Anti-Fatigue
The Orthomat Diamond Anti Fatigue Matting provides fatigue-relief and cold insulation for workers. It is the perfect balance between cushioning and support with its Closed Cell PVC Foam construction. Its raised diamond tread pattern ensures better grip in dry environments. Available in mats, rolls or the length of your choice, the Orthomat Diamond Anti Fatigue Mat is ideal for most applications. It is particularly useful in production lines, assembly areas, packing stations and workbenches. It has a diamond charcoal finish however it is also available with a Yellow Safety Edge for visibility.
| Material | Colour | Height | Operating Temp | Environment |
| 100% Closed Cell PVC Foam | Charcoal (Yellow Safety Edge) | 9mm | 0°C to +60°C | Dry Indoor |
| Performance | ||||
| Conforms to Slip Resistance Test EN 13552 (Category R10) Fire Tested to DIN 54332 (B2) part of DIN 4102 |
||||
Value-for-Money Comfort
The Bubble Mat can withstand reasonably cold and hot temperatures and its special design insulates against cold concrete floors. This 100% Natural Rubber mat helps prevents slips and trips with its safety bevel edge. The modular mat can also be interlocked for longer runs. Ideal for production lines, workbenches and assembly areas, all in all the Bubble Mat is the value-for-money choice for your workplace.
| Material | Colour | Height | Operating Temp | Environment |
| 100% Natural Rubber | Black | 14mm | -30° to +50° | Dry Areas |
| Performance | ||||
| 30 BPN, According to ASTM E304 | ||||
Versatile and Modular Safety
For wet areas, the Rampmat Deluxe mat’s circular pattern can provide effective draining. The raised pattern can also protect workers from cold, hard floors as well as slips and trips (thanks to its yellow safety bevelled edges). It’s the perfect choice for industrial applications as its rubber construction is resistant to chemicals and oils. Bars, clubs and kitchens can likewise benefit from the Rampmat Deluxe as it prevents glass breakage and effectively drains spilled liquids. It can also be used as an outdoor entrance mat! It is available in a single size but you can create a larger matting system with connectors.
| Material | Colour | Height | Operating Temp | Environment |
| Natural Rubber | Black | 19mm | -20° to +160° | Indoor & Outdoor |
| Performance | ||||
| Fire Retardancy: Conforms to DIN 51960 Class 1 | ||||
Ribbed Anti-Static Protection
Protect yourself from Electrostatic Discharge and the cold, hard floors with our Anti-Static Safety Mat. The ribbed surface can also be used on top of workbenches to prevent small parts from being damaged. The natural rubber matting also efficiently reduces noise levels in certain environments! Available in rolls or cut to measure, Anti-Static Safety Matting can be used throughout the workplace.
| Material | Colour | Height | Operating Temp | Environment |
| Natural Rubber | Black | 3mm or 6mm | -20°C to +80°C | Wet or Dry |
Invest in your workers’ health and promote a comfortable working environment with thermal insulating matting. This can only ensure more productivity, a morale boost, and the well-being of your workers! View our entire range of products online at Matting Direct2U for your matting, flooring, floor tape and floor paint solutions.