The access mat guide to hiring and maintenance

When considering ground protection mats hire, it is essential to understand that most hire agreements come with terms and conditions, requiring the mats to be returned in a good and usable condition. If access mats are damaged, worn, or lost during the hire agreement period, your company could be held financially responsible for repair or replacement costs.

By taking the necessary steps to properly maintain your access mats, you can safeguard against extra costs and preserve the long-term integrity of the access mats. This will extend their lifespan and improve performance, ensuring they remain effective and durable for years to come.

6 points to consider when hiring access mats for your project

1. Do you require vehicle or pedestrian access (or a combination of both)? 

This will affect which type of ground protection you need, whether it be light duty, medium duty or heavy duty. You may also require a combination of the three for specific work areas, dedicated pedestrian walkways and temporary car parks.

2. Have you assessed the ground conditions? 

Making a presumption on the ground type isn’t enough. The majority of surfaces require a thorough assessment so that the correct access mats can be provided. We rely on the clients undertaking CBR checks and sharing this information with us so we can make an informed decision on the required access solution. To measure the height of any overhead power cables, our engineers are equipped with cable height measurers. There are many things you need to check for which could be a potential risk like uncompacted fill, nearby excavations, cellars and underground services. These could even be underneath paved areas which look strong and secure enough to support machinery.

3. How long is the project for? 

Access mats will naturally gain wear and tear over time, even with perfect use on-site, you should choose more durable forms of trackway for longer hires. At Davis Trackhire, we have no limit in terms of hire duration. It is not uncommon for panels to be on hire for up to 2-3 years. Before quoting or installing, we survey the vast majority of sites, and our engineers consider how much use the panels will receive during the hire. We also schedule regular site audits on longer-term hires. Additionally, weather conditions can significantly affect the terrain, so the ground may require further assessment should the project run into a new season or where there are adverse weather conditions.

4. Do you need to consider access mat maintenance procedures for long-term hire? 

Yes, you must consider maintenance for long-term hires. We often need to perform superficial maintenance on the access mats, which is a relatively quick fix involving tightening bolts, repositioning PVC cloaking mats, or erecting extra caution signs. However, if panels need replacing due to damage or repositioning due to high traffic volumes, engineers will need to remove and re-install them appropriately.

We include maintenance visits in our long-term hire agreements. This will involve a project engineer carrying out a site audit whereby he will observe site activity to ensure site contractors are not misusing the ground protection boards (adhering to speed limits, not using steel-tracks etc) and also assess the panels for potential damage and maintenance requirements. Our engineer will then submit a site audit report to our sales, operations and logistics team.

5. Do you need access mats for a number of projects throughout the year? 

If your project is ongoing throughout the year on the same site (please note this must be the same continuous project, not a variation, as this would require a new assessment and installation), then it may be worth negotiating a long-term track mat hire agreement as opposed to several short-term hire agreements. However, as explained above, this would still require maintenance and potential engineer adjustments.

6. Are you aligning your access mat usage with the safety requirements of the project?

Track mat hire needs real thought, planning and consideration, it is the foundation for your project’s success. Access mats should be at the forefront of your health, safety and risk assessment. This ensures that the team orders the correct type and amount of trackmat, along with the right components and accessories.

What type of access mats should you be considering?

Access mats are made from different materials and suit different purposes. We provide three types of access mats:

• HDPE ground protection mats

• Aluminium panels

• Tufftrak

Our team can help

At Davis Trackhire, our team are dedicated to providing the safest, most efficient service. Reach out to our hire desk if you’d like to discuss access mat hire on your site, and we will be happy to help guide you.