by gjmats | 10 Feb, 2024 | Civil engineering, Construction industry, Information, Oil, gas & energy services, Transport & logistics
Why Bog Mats Matter
Bog mats play a crucial role in ensuring that your construction site remains accessible and undamaged, especially in adverse weather conditions. These durable timber mats provide temporary access and roadways, facilitating the movement of heavy vehicles, workers, and machinery across various terrains.
Determining Your Bog Mat Needs
When selecting bog mats for your construction site, it’s essential to consider factors such as the type of equipment and vehicles accessing the site, as well as the ground conditions. At GJ Mats, we offer a diverse range of timber mats tailored to meet your specific requirements, including:
- European & Tropical Hardwood Mats: Renowned for their exceptional strength and durability, our European oak, beech, and tropical hardwood mats are ideal for withstanding heavy loads and adverse weather conditions.
- Ekki Mats: Made from ultra-durable tropical timber, Ekki mats excel in environments where extreme pressure and soft, wet ground pose challenges. These mats offer unparalleled stability and resistance to acids, electricity, and weather elements.
Expert Guidance and Support
Our team of experts is dedicated to helping you find the perfect bog mats for your construction project. Whether you need assistance in selecting the right materials or guidance on load management and timescales, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Flexible Solutions
At GJ Mats, we understand that every construction project is unique. That’s why we offer flexible solutions, including both sale and hire options for our timber mats. Whether you require bog mats for a short-term project or a long-term investment, we have you covered.
Get in Touch .. we are happy to help
Don’t let your construction project get bogged down by challenging terrain. Contact the GJ Mats team today at 07896 265 981 to learn more about our comprehensive range of timber mats and how we can support your project’s success.
by gjmats | 7 Feb, 2024 | Information
Why Bog Mats Matter
Bog mats play a crucial role in ensuring that your construction site remains accessible and undamaged, especially in adverse weather conditions. These durable timber mats provide temporary access and roadways, facilitating the movement of heavy vehicles, workers, and machinery across various terrains.
Determining Your Bog Mat Needs
When selecting bog mats for your construction site, it’s essential to consider factors such as the type of equipment and vehicles accessing the site, as well as the ground conditions. At GJ Mats, we offer a diverse range of timber mats tailored to meet your specific requirements, including:
- European & Tropical Hardwood Mats: Renowned for their exceptional strength and durability, our European oak, beech, and tropical hardwood mats are ideal for withstanding heavy loads and adverse weather conditions.
- Ekki Mats: Made from ultra-durable tropical timber, Ekki mats excel in environments where extreme pressure and soft, wet ground pose challenges. These mats offer unparalleled stability and resistance to acids, electricity, and weather elements.
Expert Guidance and Support
Our team of experts is dedicated to helping you find the perfect bog mats for your construction project. Whether you need assistance in selecting the right materials or guidance on load management and timescales, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Flexible Solutions
At GJ Mats, we understand that every construction project is unique. That’s why we offer flexible solutions, including both sale and hire options for our timber mats. Whether you require bog mats for a short-term project or a long-term investment, we have you covered.
Get in Touch .. we are happy to help
Don’t let your construction project get bogged down by challenging terrain. Contact the GJ Mats team today at 07896 265 981 to learn more about our comprehensive range of timber mats and how we can support your project’s success.
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News | 0 Comments
A Foundation for Progress: GJ Mats' Critical Role in the Northumberland Line Improvement This past Sunday, a significant milestone was achieved in the Northumberland Line improvement scheme with the demolition of the North Seaton signal box. As the project...
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News, Transport & logistics | 0 Comments
Expanding GJ Mats' Horizons: The New Blue Fleet In an exciting development for both our operations and our valued clients, GJ Mats proudly unveils a significant enhancement to our service delivery capabilities: a brand new, custom-painted truck, resplendent in our...
by gjmats | 5 Jun, 2023 | Case Studies, Information
Emtek Mats
There are some construction projects that require something more than a timber mat to create the necessary support for the equipment that’s being used. You might need to make specific load bearing calculations, or simply need to transport heavier loads than timber mats can cope with. In these circumstances, Emtek Mats are the answer.
Why Choose Emtek Mats?
Engineered Mat Technology was first developed in America, in the University of Maine to be precise. Jon Fuitak was investigating the potential to improve the properties of low-grade hardwoods and create a high strength wood composite that could be utilised in residential and light commercial settings. By removing many of the natural defects that are found in wood, he created a high grade, a laminated product which reduced the potential for stress fractures. Subsequent testing demonstrated that the product he had created was significantly stronger and more durable than wood, and had a resistant surface. Emtek mats were born.
This cleverly designed heavy equipment mat has more environmental benefits when compared with regular timber mats. Using responsibly sourced and sustainable timber these equipment mats can create a consistent timber surface with no gaps using the Emtek interlocking clip system. It’s for these reasons we’re proud to be a European distributor of this superior product.
Emtek mats are twice the depth and weight of standard hardwood mats so have a higher load bearing capacity. Another advantage of Emtek mats is that they are the only mats currently available for which load bearing calculations can be made. This means that for any project, you can determine the suitability of Emtek mats and work out in determining their suitability for any given situation.
Manufacture
Emtek mats are manufactured in America by Anthony Hardwood Composites. Hardwood boards are machined to the proper dimensions for laminating and ripped to a width that will ultimately yield the mat thickness. Once this process has been completed the boards are prepared for lamination. Adhesive is applied and each lamination is set on edge and nested into the lay up to create an unpressed billet – or plank – before entering the press. Heat and pressure is applied in the press then the planks are machined to the final dimensions, and to be fitted with the connection hardware. After testing for strength, the planks are fastened together to create Emtek Mats.
Connection system
Emtek mats benefit from an interlocking clip that allows mats to be connected together. This video shows how they work:
Applications
Originally used in the USA for large infrastructure projects, the high load bearing capacity and durability of Emtek mats means that they are well suited to a variety of applications. As mentioned, it’s possible to calculate specific load bearing which is a huge advantage over standard hardwood mats. Typically used for swamp access roads, transmission line access mats, for crane support, oil and gas drilling, logging access, pipeline and highway bridge construction, dam and levy construction, barge decks, heavy lift and other speciality access applications in the States, there are many projects in the UK and Europe which benefit from the superior properties of Emtek mats. The variety of installation methods means that Emtek mats are suitable for use across a wide range of soil conditions.
At GJ Bogmats, we work with our partner Timbermat Ltd and hold the largest stock of Emek mats in mainland Europe, meaning we can meet the demands of substantial projects. Get in touch with us on 0800 774 7751 to discuss how Emtek Mats could improve access on your next project.
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News | 0 Comments
A Foundation for Progress: GJ Mats' Critical Role in the Northumberland Line Improvement This past Sunday, a significant milestone was achieved in the Northumberland Line improvement scheme with the demolition of the North Seaton signal box. As the project...
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News, Transport & logistics | 0 Comments
Expanding GJ Mats' Horizons: The New Blue Fleet In an exciting development for both our operations and our valued clients, GJ Mats proudly unveils a significant enhancement to our service delivery capabilities: a brand new, custom-painted truck, resplendent in our...
by gjmats | 16 March 2024 | Demolition, News, Transport & logistics | 0 Comments
GJ Mats: Pioneering Protection on the M25 During Its Historic Closure This past weekend, the M25 witnessed an unprecedented event in its history – a complete closure to facilitate essential maintenance and upgrade works. At the forefront of this monumental task was GJ...
by gjmats | 1 March 2024 | Civil engineering, Construction industry, News | 0 Comments
Unsung Heroes of Infrastructure .. Protecting the M25 GJ Mats' Bogmats Role in the M25 Jct 10 Scheme Bogmats were crucial for the M25 Bridge Demolition. This past weekend marked a significant milestone in the M25 Jct 10 improvement scheme, but it wasn't just about...
by gjmats | 22 Mar, 2023 | Information
Which size timber bog mats do I need?
As the UK’s leading supplier of industrial-grade bog mats and crane mats, GJ Mats is trusted by construction and infrastructure professionals as the go-to source for ground protection needs. This guide from our UK ground protection specialists helps you determine which bog mats or crane mats size will best suit your project requirements.
GJ Mats offers five main bog mat series distinguished by thickness, load capacity, and intended applications. All are manufactured to the highest standards using only weather-resistant hardwoods and tropical wood varieties.
Understanding Specifications of Different Bogmats
Our downloadable PDFs can be found on our “Product Specs” section, and give the specific details of different types of high quality timber bog mats on offer from GJ Bogmats. It’s helpful to know what these different specification types mean in relation to your individual project so that you can buy or hire the relevant product. Following is a summary but the best thing to do is give our friendly team a quick call or drop us an email and we will be more than happy to offer you our expertise.
Small Projects
If you’re looking to place temporary roadways in place, whether to enter building sites or to guide your festival goers to the main stage, then our 100MM bog mats are the ones for you. These sit lightly on the land, allowing common usage for lightweight projects. These thin but durable timber bog mats are perfect for use on industry infrastructure projects, or to serve as thoroughfare for dumper trucks and other lighter construction machinery.
Light Duty Bog Mats The 100mm Series mats are well-suited to lightweight traffic and impermanent roads. At only 100mm thick, they are portable and stable enough for foot traffic or small trucks under 10 tonnes.
Medium Projects
Medium Duty Bog Mats For medium-duty use, the 150mm Series mats falls into this category. Their extra thickness makes them durable options for smaller cranes, machinery, and structures on jobsites and marine environments.
These oak and tropical hardwood mats are capable of carrying up to roughly 65 tonnes per mat. This means that they’re perfect for small cranes and middle sized trucks as well as supporting small structures. This far more durable mat is also the most suitable for marine projects such as piling, jetties and pontoons, as well as civil engineering operations.
Large Projects / Heavy Duty Bogmats
Heavy Duty Bog Mats and Crane Mats Construction sites requiring heavier vehicles or crane use are served by our 200mm + Series mats and specialised crane mats, each rated for 80 tonnes.
Our 200mm and 250mm timber bog mats are the heavyweights. This allows for most construction equipment, cranes and caterpillar machinery to be used safely on moderately flat ground, and is ideal for working platforms and tracks for heavy plant traffic. Due to the heavy duty nature of these timber bog mats, you could look at purchasing new or pre-owned quality hardwood oak and durable tropical hardwood bog mats from our “Services” page.
Custom Engineered Solutions
GJ Mats works directly with customers to design mats tailored for specialised applications such as large-scale piling, tunneling, and mining projects.
Please note that all of our hardwood and tropical bog mats are also available for hire or sale and we welcome you contacting us to find out more to see what is best for your project. Speak to one of our ground protection specialists and crane mat experts to determine the right solution for your project needs.
Give us a call on 0800 774 7551 and one of our friendly team will be happy to advise!
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News | 0 Comments
A Foundation for Progress: GJ Mats' Critical Role in the Northumberland Line Improvement This past Sunday, a significant milestone was achieved in the Northumberland Line improvement scheme with the demolition of the North Seaton signal box. As the project...
by gjmats | 19 March 2024 | News, Transport & logistics | 0 Comments
Expanding GJ Mats' Horizons: The New Blue Fleet In an exciting development for both our operations and our valued clients, GJ Mats proudly unveils a significant enhancement to our service delivery capabilities: a brand new, custom-painted truck, resplendent in our...
by gjmats | 16 March 2024 | Demolition, News, Transport & logistics | 0 Comments
GJ Mats: Pioneering Protection on the M25 During Its Historic Closure This past weekend, the M25 witnessed an unprecedented event in its history – a complete closure to facilitate essential maintenance and upgrade works. At the forefront of this monumental task was GJ...
by gjmats | 1 March 2024 | Civil engineering, Construction industry, News | 0 Comments
Unsung Heroes of Infrastructure .. Protecting the M25 GJ Mats' Bogmats Role in the M25 Jct 10 Scheme Bogmats were crucial for the M25 Bridge Demolition. This past weekend marked a significant milestone in the M25 Jct 10 improvement scheme, but it wasn't just about...
by gjmats | 25 Jan, 2019 | Civil engineering, Information
Protect your pipeline with quality cover slabs
Using the right pipeline protection is crucial for safeguarding underground services. The pipelines under our feet keep the country going. Water, electricity and gas supplies rely on this network – any damage from rogue excavations or heavy use of the ground above can compromise their integrity.
Although pipelines should be demarcated, there’s always the potential for someone to make a mistake and dig in the wrong place. Third party damage to underground pipelines puts workers at risk, disrupts services, affects the environment and can cost inordinate amounts of money to repair. Covering a pipeline with high-quality protection slabs means any threat from above is minimised and that rogue excavator hits the concrete, not the pipe.
Why choose concrete pipeline protection?
Pipeline installation is governed by the Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996 (PSR 1996) which requires operators to reduce the potential for damage to occur. That’s where GJ Bog Mats’ concrete pipeline cover slabs come into their own.
Individual jobs all have their unique requirements and we pride ourselves in being able to provide pipeline protection slabs in a variety of sizes and thicknesses to suit a range of applications. Whether you want to prevent an errant digger from tearing through your water mains or reduce the risk of heavy vehicles above disturbing the earth enough to cause stress and damage to the pipeline, our slabs will provide the right protection. Our flexible service means we can even tailor the slabs to meet your requirements where the job demands it.
Robust and reliable, our pipeline protection cover slabs are made from high-quality concrete. As this means weight and manoeuvrability are factors to consider, they can be made easier to install and remove with the incorporation of lifting sockets and lifting loops where needed. Of course, when installing pipelines and protection slabs, you’ll also need reliable bog mats for your crew to work on and to keep things accessible. We have an extensive range of timber mats for sale or hire and can advise you on the best ones for both your project and your budget.
Contact GJ Bog Mats for expert advice on pipeline protection
If you’d like to know more about how GJ Bog Mats can help you with pipeline protection, you can get in touch with our experienced team via our online contact form, send us an email or give us a call on 07896 265 981 or 0800 7747751. We’re always happy to advise our customers and work hard to give you the most suitable, high-quality cover slabs for the best price.
by gjmats | 10 Nov, 2018 | Construction industry, Information
Bog mats are a valuable piece of equipment in many environments but are nothing less than essential when operating in boggy moorland terrain.
Although many marshy, bog areas are protected sites, they still need to be worked and accessed. But water-logged peat bogs and moorland present unique challenges. The mossy ground traps water like a sponge, which makes the surface far more unstable than other types of terrain. Without ensuring you have the firm base of a bog mat for workers and machinery to operate on, getting the job done safely is almost impossible.
Keep employees and equipment safe with the right timber mats
It might be tempting to think you can do the job quickly enough to be in and out in no time. But skimp on the bog mats and you could be in trouble, putting your precious workforce or expensive equipment at risk of sinking into the ground.
Anyone who’s ever tried to winch an expensive and indispensable vehicle or piece of equipment out of the mud knows how tough it is. Anyone who’s ever extracted anything from a bog will tell you it’s 10 times harder! As well as the difficulty factor, the ruined gear, health and safety risks and knock-on effect on your project’s schedule can all have far-reaching consequences.
The irony is that if you get stuck in a marshy bog, you’ll probably need to get a timber mat involved to get you back out if it anyway. By using them from the start of your project, you can save yourself a lot of time, energy and money in the long run. Using timber mats makes financial and practical sense. And with many of our moorland and peat bog landscapes being conservation areas, it offers reliable ground protection for this fragile environment too.
Should I buy or hire bog mats?
For larger companies, or those who regularly operate in this kind of terrain, buying timber mats might be the more cost-effective option in the long term. For smaller operators, or those who have occasional or one-off projects to complete, hiring bog mats may be more economical. At GJ Bog Mats we have a wide range of European and Tropical hardwood timber mats available for sale or hire. We also offer a buy-back scheme.
Don’t know which bog mats you need? Just ask us!
Whatever your needs, our experienced team can advise you on which of our bog and crane mats suit your requirements and which sale or hire options would be the best value for money for your business. We also offer a comprehensive bog mat service in conjunction with our sister company. This includes delivery, off-loading, installing & uplifting across the UK.
To find out more about how GJ Bog Mats can help with your project, get in touch with our team.
by gjmats | 19 Oct, 2018 | Information
European Hardwood Mats
GJ Bog Mats use high quality, hard wearing, durable Oak and Beech for their European hardwood bog mats. They can tolerate repeated use and provide the ideal protective material for temporary roadways causing minimal disturbance to the ground.
European hardwood mats made of Oak
European Oak otherwise known as Quercus petrea, Quercus robur or European White Oak is one of Europe’s dominant broad leaf species. They grow to a lofty 20-30 metres high and achieve a diameter of 40-80 centimetres. The timber is straight grained, hard, heavy and robust.
The Science:
Physical characteristics
Density (at 12 % moisture content) 702 kg⁄m3
Total longitudinal shrinkage 0.4 %
Total radial shrinkage 4.3 %
Total tangential shrinkage 8.9 %
Equilibrium moisture content
(20° C⁄ 37 % rel. humidity) 8.9 %
(20° C⁄ 83 % rel. humidity) 17.2 %
Mechanical characteristics
Modulus of elasticity under bending 13000 N⁄mm2
Modulus of rupture under bending 88 N⁄mm2
Tension strength 90 N⁄mm2
Compression strength 61 N⁄mm2
Brinell hardness perpendicular to the fibres 34 N⁄mm2
Janka Hardness 4.5 kN
Nail withdrawal strength in N per mm depth and mm diameter 17 N⁄mm2
European hardwood mats made of Beech
European Beech otherwise known as Fagus sylvatica, grows in the west at altitudes of up to 1500 metres. They reach a height of 35 metres and achieve diameters between 40 and 90 centimetres. The timber is finely textured, heavy and exceedingly strong.
Read the scientific evidence:
Physical characteristics
Density (at 12 % moisture content) 712 kg⁄m3
Total longitudinal shrinkage 0.3 %
Total radial shrinkage 5.8 %
Total tangential shrinkage 11.8 %
Equilibrium moisture content
(20° C⁄ 37 % rel. humidity) 7.3 %
(20° C⁄ 83 % rel. humidity) 15.7 %
Mechanical characteristics
Modulus of elasticity under bending 16000 N⁄mm2
Modulus of rupture under bending 123 N⁄mm2
Tension strength 135 N⁄mm2
Compression strength 62 N⁄mm2
Brinell hardness perpendicular to the fibres 34 N⁄mm2
Janka Hardness 6.7 kN
Nail withdrawal strength in N per mm depth and mm diameter 18 N⁄mm2
Talk to the experts about our European Hardwood Mats
GJ Bog Mats will discuss your project requirements and happily advise you, supply and deliver certified or non certified European hard wood mats and can include a professional laying down service. Phone now on 07896 265 981 or 0800 774 7751. Tropical hardwood mats are available for hire or for sale too.
by gjmats | 3 Jul, 2018 | Information
Use G J Grass Protection Mats and you can stay on the grass.
That’s right – with our grass protection mats, you can keep ON the grass!
No need to worry about soft, vulnerable or uneven ground. Whether you are in a meadow, a field, park land or environmentally sensitive terrain, grass protection mats will save the day – and the grass.
Robust, high density grass protection mats can be supplied for safeguarding against heavy vehicles, machinery, wheelchairs, trolleys, heavy footfall by people or animals and more. They are available short-term or for long periods.
An experienced CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) accredited team will visit your site, make an assessment and recommend exactly what you need. When you are satisfied, they will deliver, offload and install suitable grass protection mats. They provide an efficient packing up service, too.
Grass protection mats are typically used for large events such as festivals, agricultural shows, equestrian spectacles, expositions and exhibitions. They are useful for sensitive construction sites, gateways, sports parks, playgrounds, golf courses and stables too. The mats are suitable for uneven ground and allow for drainage (SUD’s Compliant, Sustainable Urban Drainage System, when necessary). One customer commented,
“5 weeks on you can hardly see it as the grass grows through it”
The best bit? Once your event is over and packed up, nobody will know you were ever there.
Mud glorious mud. Or is it?
Take Glastonbury for example.
We have all seen the incredible mud – Glastonbury is famous for it. This outstanding annual music festival is set on a Somerset farm, spread out over a number of fields. Is it surprising that when hundreds of thousands of people all turn up at the same time and spend endless rainy days on soggy farmland, the result will be one gigantic mud bath? If only they had called in GJ Grass Protection Mats.
Ahoy there!
Then there is the annual Beaulieu Boat Jumble. A proper salty affair set in the heart of the New Forest. Boat lovers from all over the country and many from overseas descend on the beautiful ancestral home of the late Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. They are all attracted by boats, bits of boats and boating paraphernalia. They run an excellent pick-up and drop-off service from the car park. You can spend a few hours buying, then jump on the back of a truck, take all of your purchases back to your car and start all over again. Grass Protection Mats are a God send for such events.
The Royal Welsh Show
Every year hundreds of thousands of people and animals tread the Royal Welsh Show ground. Cars and farm machinery of every description are manoeuvred around the fields. Fortunately, it is a purpose built show ground with roadways and footpaths. Other agricultural shows held all around the country don’t have such luxury and convenience. Another job for GJ Grass Protection Mats!
If you have an event planned call for GJ Grass Protection Mats now for advice and safeguarding you can rely on. Phone 07896 265 981 or 0800 7747751.
by gjmats | 5 Sep, 2017 | Information, Oil, gas & energy services
Bogmats are not just for mud
Based here in South Wales, you’d be forgiven for thinking that all our work is UK based. In fact, GJ Bogmats has a thriving export section. We are able to provide our bog mats and crane mats internationally, and have been involved in a couple of major projects abroad.
Working in the desert in Oman presented our team with particular challenges from the point of view of climate and the geography – very different from the green valleys of home… We are supplying 10,000 timber pipeline skids to a gas pipeline project, a very prestigious contract to be involved with. The pipeline skids are used to support the pipeline during installation and then during operation – yet another use for timber mats, and in this case, vitally important to ensure the successful supply of gas.
Not all sand is the same
One thing we have learned as a result of our involvement in this project is that not all sand is the same. We thought we’d share 10 surprising facts that we’ve discovered about sand which you might be interested in.
- The composition of mineral sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions. Sand also comes in a wide variety of colours – from the bright white sands of New Mexico to the black sands rich in magnetite found in volcanic areas such as the Canary Islands
- Sand is defined by size, being finer than graveland coarser than silt
- the most common constituent of sand silica- usually in the form of quartz, followed by calcium carbonate,
- Calcium carbonate based sand is mostly created by various forms of life, likecoral and The process takes millions of years.
- Not all sand is suitable for construction, and the increased demand for sand resources due to an increase globally in the need for more building has led to ‘sand wars’ and the attendant ecological and economic impact of natural resources running low.
- Sand is the principal component in common glass
- Sand used to be used as a thermal weapon – heated and poured on invading troops who dared to storm castles in the classical and medieval periods.
- Some animals don’t have a proper skeleton of their own so they incorporate sand for structural strength
- Sand can sing – get the conditions right, and sand of a certain size will produce a soundfrequency close to 450
- Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel formed from sand and salt water in areas of high pore water pressure. People and animals caught in quicksand often find it almost impossible to escape from unaided.
Despite the challenges of working in desert conditions, we are delighted to be involved in this international project. Our logistics operation has meant smooth delivery, and the mats have stood up to the challenge of the tough environment. We are looking forward to working on similar projects where our experience we’ve gained of working with sand give us the advantage!
If you’d like to talk to us about our bog mats – whether you need them for an Omani desert or something a little closer to home, get in touch with us here at GJ Bogmats – we’re here to help.
by gjmats | 5 Jul, 2017 | Civil engineering, Construction industry, Information
Using crane mats or crane pads will help ensure a safe system of work on your construction project where lifting equipment is involved.
A construction site can be a dangerous place – vehicles, equipment, unstable ground, uneven surfaces all conspire to make accidents a very real possibility. As any responsible contractor knows, health & safety of both workforce and public is of paramount concern. In our latest blog, we look at how crane mats and crane pads can make a difference to your lifting operations.
When lifting equipment is involved, the stability of the crane is fundamental: crane mats or crane pads to support outriggers will be indispensable. Unstable or uneven ground means that lifting equipment will not have a sufficiently strong foundation for lifting operations to commence. And yet, it seems that many contractors do take the decision to proceed without crane mats or crane pads, leaving outriggers unsecured and cranes or other heavy lifting equipment prone to accidents.
You only need to look at websites such as craneaccidents.com to see the damage that can happen if a crane is set up on soft ground with insufficient support. Crane mats can also help where outriggers are to be positioned on surfaces of different levels. Closer to home than some of the accidents reported on craneaccidents.com, Vertikal.net has reported on ‘death wish’ scenarios at the Trafford Centre in Manchester where a self-drive truck mounted lift was spotted on at least 2 occasions not so long ago being used without crane pads to support unevenly placed outriggers (on one side, the outriggers were on the pavement, the other the road).
The Health & Safety Executive has issued some helpful guidance covering the use of cranes and how to assess and ensure safety of lifting operations. Careful planning will reduce the chance of accidents – and should the worst happen, you will be able to show that you did all that you could have done to prevent accidents by creating a safe system of work. Construction site preparation is a vital element of this – and the proper use of crane mats and crane pads is key.
Crane mats can provide the stability your equipment needs to ensure this part of your operation is safe. Premium crane mats manufactured from top grade timber will enable large scale lifting for heavy loads while providing the support your lifting equipment needs. It is vital to assess ground conditions and the loads to be lifted as well as taking into account the type of crane – or cranes – involved with the project you are working on before sourcing your crane mats. Once these factors have been taken into account, you can work with your crane mat supplier to identify the appropriate crane mats for the job.
We supply a wide range of crane mats to accommodate most scenarios. Available on a hire basis for the life of your project, or to buy, we can also ‘buy back’ crane mats at the end of the project if this is a more cost effective solution for you. Get in touch to see how we can fulfill your crane mat requirements!
