Supermarket Tellers and Anti-Fatigue Mats

Many people may not realize this, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers working as a grocery store teller to be a potentially hazardous job. The surprise is that when we think of dangerous jobs, we usually think about construction workers, window washers, or people that take considerable risk to perform their work duties.

However, the problem is that a grocery store teller, according to OSHA, is required to stand for long periods of times. In many cases, tellers stand for three or more hours before they can get off their feet, only to hop back on their feet and go back to work for another three or more hours.

This standing causes considerable physical stress on the body, primarily impacting the lower ligaments. When this happens, blood flow through the body slows down, pain grows, joints hurt, and the productivity of the worker declines.

To see if you - as a teller for instance in a grocery store - are at health risk when performing your duties, answer the following questions. If you answer “no” to any of these questions, that may be a source of concern:

1. Are screens and keyboards adjustable?

2. Can the screen be read without twisting?

3. Are items that need to be scanned at about elbow height?

4. Are scales and conveyors all at elbow height?

5. Does the teller have a “remote” scanning device to scan items that are too large or heavy to pick up?

6. Is the scanner plate intact, with no cracks?

7. Are the edges around the immediate teller work area free of pointed objects, corners, or sharp edges?

8. Are anti-fatigue mats installed?

OSHA says that:

"Good quality anti-fatigue mats reduce back and leg fatigue.” Further, “standing on anti-fatigue mats, as compared to bare floors, provides a noticeable improvement in comfort.”

We mentioned earlier that standing for long periods can slow the blood going through feet and legs. An anti-fatigue mat is designed to provide a bit of a bounce, helping to stimulate the lower ligaments and keep the blood running smoothly. This improves worker productivity, reduces pain, and enhances morale.

Tellers are the “human face” of most grocery stores and other types of retail outlets. When tellers experience less pain and more comfort, smiles come more easily, in turn improving the customer experience and the work environment. Crown Matting Technologies has anti-fatigue mats that can help make this happen. They offer dry area anti-fatigue mats made with Zedlan Comfort-King Foam that provides premium anti-fatigue relief and relieves stress on knees, feet, ankle joints and pressure points. The intelligent foam solution increases worker productivity and motivation while reducing the risk of injury. 

Crown Matting Technologies was one of the first companies to introduce anti-fatigue mats. Contact a Crown representative to help select the most effective anti-fatigue mat for your facility.