Everything you need to know about choosing commercial kitchen floor mats
Updating a commercial kitchen, or fitting out a brand new restaurant? There’s lots to consider, so we asked our sales team to identify which commercial kitchen floor mat you need for every zone.
Slip hazards are everywhere in commercial kitchens. There’s the inevitable food debris and spillages, water around sinks and washing up stations and the condensation in cold-rooms. On top of that, there’s the frequent mopping of the floor to ensure hygiene standards are met, between and during shifts. These risks are amplified by the fact that in a commercial kitchen, people are under pressure and are moving at a fast pace, while working with knives, boiling water and hot hobs.
Slips and trips are the most common cause of injury in the workplace, and the UK Health and Safety Executive suggests that most of these slips happen when floor surfaces are compromised by water, grease, or other substances. The HSE specifically points to spills from food or cooking being one of the most common causes of slips in kitchens.
The right high-performance kitchen safety mats make all the difference in keeping commercial kitchens clean, safe, and running efficiently by adding a slip-resistant surface to a floor that might be greasy, or has not quite dried off since it was last cleaned. Although many commercial kitchens are actually quite compact spaces, it’s important to look at each zone individually when specifying slip-resistant commercial kitchen floor mats:
- Food prep counters
- Cooking stations
- Washing up stations
- Refrigerated areas, like walk-in fridges and freezers
- Service areas
Need commercial kitchen floor mats for food prep counters?
The challenge:
- Slippery floors in high foot-traffic areas
- Slicing vegetables, dicing meat and whipping up sauces means food debris and animal fats fall on the ground
- Frequent cleaning intervals to maintain hygiene standards leaving floor surfaces slippery underfoot
The solution:
Herongripa
Our heavy-duty, animal fat-resistant mat specifically designed to keep food processing areas safe.
Herongripa’s large open grid means food, liquid and other debris can easily fall through, helping to eliminate potential slip hazards. Specifically made for food processing and preparation areas like those in commercial kitchens, these floor mats feature a diamond-cut pattern delivering unparalleled traction underfoot to help prevent slips.
Need commercial kitchen floor mats for cooking areas?
The challenge:
- Slippery floors in close proximity to stoves, deep fryers and ovens
- Grease and oil spills, splashes and residue compromise floors and need strong cleaning products to remove
- Fast-paced and high-pressure work space where risks of injury are significant
The solution:
Vynagrip
Our hard-wearing, slip-resistant matting perfect for slippery environments and workplaces, including food processing and food service areas
Vynagrip’s diamond tread pattern delivers unparalleled traction underfoot, which helps to reduce the risk of people slipping in commercial kitchen cooking areas. This combined with an open grid design for easy fall-through of liquids and debris equals a powerhouse mat that works wonders to eliminate potential slip hazards in cooking and food prep areas.
Vynagrip is easy to cut on site and contours to uneven surfaces, meaning it’s a breeze to install these kitchen mats in restaurants even around large equipment. Resistant to most acids, oil and grease, Vynagrip won’t be compromised by spills or by the cleaning products used to clean the floors and equipment. It can also easily be cleaned with a high-pressure hose; just roll it up, move, hose, and roll it back out.
Need commercial kitchen floor mats for washing up stations?
The challenge:
- Dishes washed in large quantities leaving water and washing up liquid residue on the ground
- In many commercial kitchen layouts, the washing up station is adjacent to the entrance of the kitchen, meaning it’s often a high foot-traffic area
- Staff need to frequently wash hands with water and soap to maintain hygiene standards
The solutions:
Vynagrip or Floorline
Vynagrip, our hard-wearing, slip-resistant matting perfect for slippery environments and workplaces, including food processing and food service areas.
Flooring, our lightweight, slip-resistant matting designed for areas where water is present and spills are frequent.
Vynagrip is the ideal slip-resistant kitchen safety mat as it delivers superior drainage and, because it’s heavy duty, it offers the stability needed in a wet area like a washing up station.
Another great option is Floorline, our lightweight alternative to Vynagrip, which also offers an open grid design that allows dispersion of liquids to eliminate potential slip hazards.
Floorline’s embossed surface delivers the highest slip resistance and traction underfoot. It’s a popular choice for washing up zones as the extra-soft cushioned surface helps prevent breakages, and the excellent sound absorption properties help combat the noise of clinking dishes.
Need commercial kitchen floor mats for refrigerated areas?
The challenge:
- Condensation from temperature changes when doors are opened lead to pooling water on the ground outside, and slippery, icey floors inside the fridge/freezer
- Stock stored on the ground inside walk-in fridges and freezers are at risk of damp and contamination due to lack of airflow
- Slip-resistant matting needs to be able to withstand freezing temperatures without being compromised
The solution:
Vynagrip
Our hard-wearing, slip-resistant matting perfect for slippery, low-temperature environments and workplaces, including commercial kitchen and refrigeration areas.
Vynagrip’s open grid allows for free circulation of air beneath and around any cartons stored on the ground, keeping them elevated to prevent dampness from any ice, condensation, or accidental leaks and spillages. Vynagrip’s non-porous construction also resists bacteria growth and mildew, helping to ensure the highest levels of hygiene, and can withstand low temperatures without cracking or curlinge. Easy to cut-to-fit on site, the matting is a breeze to install around any shelves or features within a walk-in fridge or walk-in freezer.
Need commercial kitchen floor mats for food service areas?
The challenge:
- Fast-paced and high-pressure workspaces where wait staff are hurrying to collect dishes to deliver to patrons, with their hands full
- High likelihood of dropped items and spills
- Close proximity to the meal cooking zone so ensuring safety and preventing slips is paramount
The solutions:
Floorline or Heronair
Floorline, our lightweight, slip-resistant matting designed for areas where spills are frequent.
Heronair, our lightweight, slip-resistant workplace mat that's super versatile and easy to handle.
Floorline isn’t just a great safety mat for washing up stations, it’s also the ideal choice for service areas in commercial kitchens, and as a catering floor mat in the service area. The mat's open grid and embossed surface provides the highest slip resistance and drainage, while the anti-fatigue cushioning provides support for standing employees.
Another great option for service areas is Heronair. Certified slip-resistant with anti-fatigue benefits, Heronair is the ultimate workplace mat when there's a risk of liquids underfoot. The non-porous construction and open-grid means the mat is impermeable to fluids and provides superior drainage, while the etched pattern delivers excellent traction to help prevent slips.
Plastex has safety at the forefront when it comes to commercial kitchen floor mats.
Need help with commercial kitchen floor mat specifying? Our expert team is on hand to help find the best mat for your needs.