APPLICATION
Ground Protection
High and Dry
Ground protection mats create a clean and level surface for lift movement and
operation
By Robin Deloach
Mobile elevating work platforms( MEWPs) provide access to hardto-reach places. But what happens when the jobsite turns muddy and equipment can’ t easily get to the site? Or when it gets there but sinks into the ground during operation? If mud doesn’ t halt work altogether, muddy conditions— and the aftereffects when the mud dries— can put operators, equipment and materials in harm’ s way.
Installing ground protection mats at the start of a project creates sturdy, level surfaces that provide smooth passage across challenging terrain and stabilize equipment during operation, boosting safety and productivity.
These mats, made of hardwood, composite or other materials, can be used to quickly create temporary access roads as well as parking pads, laydown yards, staging areas and equipment platforms. Here’ s a more detailed look at some of their benefits:
Providing Smooth Passage
Temporary access roads made of mats mitigate the hazards of traversing muddy, swampy, soft, rocky and uneven terrain. Timber mats provide stability and support for heavy equipment, especially on soft or uneven terrain. They minimize wear and tear on machines and often pay for themselves by preventing downtime due to bad weather.
On one construction project in humid southern Louisiana, mats allowed work to continue despite a series of downpours that dropped nearly a foot of rain over three weeks. After each rainstorm, the mats enabled lift operators to continue to track in materials and continue to erect steel. The project owner estimated that the mats prevented nine to 13 days of weather-related downtime in just three months.
Protecting Equipment and Materials
Operating heavy equipment on a muddy construction site often creates ruts that get deeper as the work progresses. Bottoming out in a rut can damage hydraulic lines, break axles and wheel bearings and rip off mufflers. Forklifts carrying high value materials may drop the load if they hit a rut or a roll of dried mud.
Ground protection mats prevent the formation of treacherous holes and bumps. When mats are used to
Operating heavy equipment on a muddy construction site often creates ruts that get deeper as the work progresses and bottoming can damage hydraulic lines, break axles and wheel bearings and rip off mufflers. Ground protection mats prevent the formation of holes and bumps and can eliminate the burden and cost of installing, maintaining and removing gravel.
May-June 2025 l 9