All You Need To Know About Access Mats
As a contractor, you often need to use heavy machinery like cranes, trucks, bulldozers, and excavators. This type of equipment needs a platform to move around and work without affecting the surrounding environment. Such platforms are called access mats. This article will tell you more about access mats and their benefits.
What are Access Mats?
Access mats are portable platforms that support heavy-duty equipment used in construction sites, drilling rigs, helipads, and other resource-based activities. Depending on their application, they also go by different names, including ground protection mats, construction mats, and portable roadways.
Common Types of Access Mats
Some of the common varieties of access mats available today include:
1. Outrigger mats
If your industrial applications require large cranes and other heavy-duty machines, you need outrigger mats to support them. That is more so when you are working in an area with uneven ground or soft soil. Hardwood materials are used to make outrigger mats, and they are fitted with cable loops that make them easier to lift and move around.
2. Timber mats
As the name suggests, timber mats are made from a mixture of dense hardwood timbers. Their inherent design and strength enable them to withstand the weight of heavy equipment and cranes. You can use these mats as temporary access roads, stabilizers on uneven ground, or to help you cross water bodies like rivers.
3. Track-out mats
The treads and tires on various equipment tend to collect grime, sediments, and rocks from activities like construction. Such debris in construction is called track-out. If your equipment deposits track out on streets and roads outside your construction zone, it leads to messes and can damage other vehicles. The best way to prevent that is by using track-out mats to remove the mud and debris from equipment before they leave the project area.
4. Transition mats
Your equipment needs a platform like matted access roads to help them reach project sites with utmost ease. The best platforms for that purpose are transition mats, or as some contractors call them, transition ramps.
Benefits of Using Access Mats
One of the significant benefits of access mats is they prevent excessive environmental damage caused by heavy equipment. They do that by protecting the ground and surrounding area while heavy machines are at work. That is vital, especially in areas with soft and wet grounds that such machinery can easily affect. Moreover, access mats come with a good grip that allows your vehicles to move on slippery ground without a problem. Slip-resistance ensures the impediments of bogged-down equipment do not cripple your operations during wet weather. Besides, manufacturers use durable materials guaranteed to lend access mats increased longevity. Therefore, you can use them to support your heavy trucks and vehicles without worrying about regular costly repairs and replacements.
Keep these tips in mind when looking for access mat services, such as Sandhill Plastics.
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