6 Questions to Ask When Choosing Mats for Ground ...

When building a work site plan, key factors include safety, efficiency, quality of equipment and budget. As you consider ground protection solutions for your construction or industrial work site, start with the following six questions to choose the correct product for your needs.

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1. Should I choose wood or composite access mats?

A stable and secure foundation is essential for completing your work efficiently while ensuring the safety of your personnel and equipment. Composite mats are designed to provide that access under a wide range of conditions.

Composite construction mats offer superior protection to workers and equipment, enhance return on investment, and promote environmental safety. Consider the numerous benefits they offer.

2. What are the ground conditions for the project?

Evaluate the surface conditions: whether it be soil, mud, saturated ground, rocky areas, grassy patches, sandy terrain, or slopes.

Composite mats adapt more effectively to irregular surfaces and can be connected using pins to create uniform work and access areas. With overlapping flanges and locking pins, they minimize gaps and prevent damage that can occur due to wear, equipment failure, and worker injury.

Understanding soil conditions, load-bearing capacity, traffic requirements, and project duration are crucial. These considerations should ideally be discussed with geoengineers or project managers before installation.

3. What is the application?

Define the use: will it serve as a work platform or an access road? Identify your starting point (Point A) and your endpoint (Point B). What will you use this platform or road for?

Considerations may include:

• Variability in terrain or sub-grade conditions during long-term projects
• Anticipated daily traffic on the matting
• Duration of the project
• Need for passing or turning lanes
• Ground restoration requirements post-project

Develop a site plan and consult with field training guides or expert advisers for optimal mat configurations and layouts based on your specific conditions and needs. Assess whether you require heavy-duty, medium-duty, or light-duty composite mats for maximum return on investment, leveraging insights from seasoned experts.

4. What equipment is involved?

Identify the types of trucks and heavy machinery that will be operated on the installed roads or platforms concurrently. Will they require passing or turning lanes?

What is the heaviest equipment you will be using?

Always inquire about performance specifications and recommended load limits before selecting ground protection to keep both personnel and equipment secure.

For example, the largest telescoping cranes have specific safety needs regarding ground protection.

5. Are there site-specific regulations regarding chemical cross-contamination, invasive plants, or stormwater runoff?

In some regions, environmental regulations necessitate the use of composite mats to prevent invasive species and contamination from debris or site waste from reaching the ground.

Research any area-specific restrictions carefully and familiarize yourself with relevant project requirements ahead of setup.

Composite mats can be pressure washed pre or post-removal, reused, and transported to subsequent job sites without cross-contamination concerns. On the other hand, wood mats tend to absorb water and contaminants, making cleaning difficult.

If hazardous liquids are at risk of leaching into the soil, it's wise to implement a waterproof protective layer or geotextile beneath the mats upon arrival.

6. Do you plan to reuse the ground protection for future projects or transfer it to another site?

If your answer is yes, consider the economic advantages of high-quality composite matting over wood mats, which can save you valuable time and costs across projects.

Composite mats maintain consistent quality without rotting, splitting, or losing strength when exposed to moisture. They are lighter, allowing for more efficient transportation and logistics.

Companies can fit a greater number of composite mats per truck than wood mats, leading to reduced shipping, labor, and fuel costs, resulting in time savings in pressed operational schedules.

Because composite mats minimize on-site damage, crew cleanup and repair time for rutting or soil compaction are also significantly reduced.

To discover more about our premier construction and industrial matting options, explore MegaDeck® HD+, SignaRoad®, and dura mats.

For more information, please visit our plastic ground mats resource, and don’t hesitate to reach out for professional guidance.