What is the purpose of a kitchen mat?
7 kitchen mats that boost health, safety, and productivity in hospitality environments.
If you run a commercial kitchen, you probably have health and safety at the top of your worry list. In 2023 more than ever, customer and employee health is pivotal for a successful hospitality business.
The best way to protect your people from slips, trips and falls is to install the correct matting. As well as preventing accidents, kitchen mats make staff more comfortable and productive. That, in turn, makes your customers happier.
So, to highlight the purpose of a kitchen mat, here are 7 mats frequently used in commercial kitchens:
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Anti fatigue kitchen mats
One of the best ways to treat your employees well is to make them comfortable at work. For anyone that stands for extended periods as part of their job, anti fatigue rubber mats do just that. You can also check out the different types of anti fatigue mat.
Anti fatigue matting prevents discomfort and pain caused by muscle fatigue and joint seizure from standing on solid ground. Chefs are notoriously tired people, and anyone working in a kitchen will appreciate the relief that these mats offer.
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Non slip mats
Non slip matting is critical for anyone expecting customers and employees to move around their kitchen and service area. Non slip matting provides friction with the floor, either from a rubber backing or by being permanently fixed to the floor.
In kitchens, anti fatigue mats can be non slip too, so you can offer employees the best of both worlds. It is also a good idea to make your entrance mats non slip, and they can also be combined with other features.
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Grease resistant mats
In commercial kitchens, hot oil and other grease and chemicals are likely to spill. When this happens, a low-quality mat will deteriorate and become useless. A useless mat is dangerous as it quickly becomes a trip hazard.
To avoid this, go for high-quality, grease and chemical-resistant kitchen mats. Nitrile rubber can withstand oil, chemicals, grease and fats without compromising its comfortable and slip-resistant properties.
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Water draining mats
Even more so than grease and oil spillage is water. In busy kitchens, pot washers and food production staff are likely to spill large quantities of water often. An absorbent mat is not enough for this, as it will quickly become full.
Instead, commercial kitchen mats should drain water away, so the liquid does not pool on its surface. Channels, drainage holes and raised lugs underneath are some ways that high-quality kitchen mats prevent water from becoming a slip hazard.
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Absorbent door mats
While absorbent mats aren’t ideal for inside kitchens, they are very important for just outside the door. With all that spillage going on inside, kitchen porters and other wait staff must have thoroughly dry feet before they enter the service area.
Absorbent door mats are the last drying stage of feet that pass through a doorway and can be the difference between a wet, slippery restaurant and a safe, dry one.
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Clean room mats
For areas that need to be sterile – rather than just clean – clean room mats remove the final particles that standard door mats miss. Each sticky sheet thoroughly cleans shoes, leaving them clean enough to enter even surgical environments.
Most commercial kitchens don’t need this level of cleanliness, but hospitals and aged care centres might want this additional layer. Once the sheet fills up, peel it off to expose a fresh new one underneath.
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Personalised logo mats
Logo mats aren’t a health and safety feature per se, but they have been proven to boost employee morale. They also increase brand awareness among your customers and potential customers.
Logo mats are important for kitchens because they promote the brand they are attached to. Think of it as always-on marketing that keeps your people safe too. Find out more about how logo mats boost sales to optimise your floor marketing.
Choosing your kitchen mats
If you are looking for assistance or recommendations, our friendly team of matting specialists are happy to help. Get in touch using the chat function below, email [email protected] or call 1300 628 746 to speak to the team.