Demolition Site Ground Protection & Safety Mats
by Richard O'Connor
Dec 23, 2025 | *6 minutes to readWhy ground-level controls are a critical safety system, not an afterthought
On a demolition site, risk starts at ground level. Under the HSE guidance L153 (Managing health and safety in construction – CDM 2015), dutyholders must plan, manage and monitor work so that traffic routes, access, and working areas remain safe throughout the project. In particular, L153 directs readers to Regulation 27 (Traffic routes), which requires that vehicles and pedestrians can move safely and that ground conditions are suitable. These duties sit alongside the broader duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA).
Ground protection and safety matting have distinct technical roles across demolition sites. They are not interchangeable. Used correctly, they prevent ground failure, control hazardous dust migration, and reduce slip risk in welfare areas. Used incorrectly—or substituted with unsuitable materials—they introduce serious hazards and compliance exposure.
Heavy Plant & Temporary Access: Preventing ground failure and bogging
(The Active Demolition Zone)
The problem: Demolition routinely involves heavy plant (e.g., 30–50 tonne excavators, crushers, dumpers) operating over compromised ground: stripped foundations, infilled basements, made ground, or saturated clay. The result is predictable—rutting, sinkage, instability, and increased risk to buried services.
The solution: use engineered ground protection and trackway to create load-spreading routes and working pads for plant. This supports compliant traffic management by providing safe, predictable surfaces for vehicles in line with CDM traffic route duties (HSE L153 (CDM 2015)).
Product categories:
• Ground Protection Mats
• Trackway Mats
Key technical point: load distribution (not just traction). These mats are not “for grip” alone. Their primary job is load distribution—spreading point loads from tracks, outriggers, and tyre contact patches over a wider area to reduce ground pressure. This helps prevent:
- Plant sinking or “bogging” in soft ground
- Differential settlement that destabilises the machine during slewing/tracking
- Damage to buried services from crushing loads
Visual demarcation matters. Timber/bog mats can also act as a visual control measure, signalling safe operating zones for plant. On well-managed sites, if a machine is off the mat, work stops until the route/pad is reinstated.
Don’t do this: Don’t use plywood as a substitute on vehicle routes. Plywood is not designed for repeated heavy loads: it can snap/delaminate, becomes dangerously slippery when wet, and degrades quickly in ground contact. It is an unreliable traffic surface and a foreseeable hazard under duty of care expectations.
Dust Migration: Controlling the “Invisible Hazard”
(The Transition & Decontamination Zone)
The problem: Demolition generates fine particulate hazards that travel easily: respirable crystalline silica (RCS), asbestos fibres (where present), and general dust/debris. These contaminants migrate into welfare units, offices, vehicles, and sometimes off-site—creating health risk and compliance exposure under COSHH.
The regulatory baseline: HSE identifies construction dust as a major, preventable health risk. See HSE CIS36 (Construction dust) and HSE: Silica dust in construction. COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations) requires exposure to hazardous substances to be prevented or adequately controlled. (For the legislation text, see COSHH Regulations 2002.)
The solution: use contamination control mats (sticky/tacky peel-off mats) at clean-zone entry points as part of a layered dust control strategy aligned with HSE guidance (CIS36).
Product category:
• Construction Site Matting (Sticky/Tacky Mats)
Key technical point: the peel-off mechanism. Sticky mats use multiple adhesive layers. When the top layer is contaminated, you peel it away to expose a clean sheet—restoring performance quickly without replacing the whole unit.
Placement rule (non-negotiable): Sticky mats must be installed after boot wash/scraper stations. They do not work on wet mud—only on fine dust/silica. If mud is present, the adhesive surface is blocked and becomes ineffective.
Pedestrian Safety: Managing slip risks in welfare and transition zones
(The Welfare Zone)
The problem: Wet mud and water tracked into drying rooms, canteens and site offices creates predictable slip risk—especially at entrances and corridor transitions. HSE guidance on slips and trips highlights contamination (e.g., wet/mud) as a primary contributor and supports using entrance matting to reduce the hazard (HSE INDG225: Preventing slips and trips at work).
The solution: use robust scraper mats and rubber coil (“spaghetti”) mats designed for wet, external environments.
Product category:
• Walkway Matting
Key technical point: permeability. Demolition sites are wet. Standard textile/carpet mats quickly become saturated, heavy, and unstable. Permeable rubber coil matting allows water to drain through, maintaining traction and reducing standing water at entrances.
Don’t do this: don’t use indoor carpet mats outdoors. They become sodden, curl at the edges, and frequently turn into trip hazards—exactly the scenario HSE slip guidance aims to prevent (INDG225).
HSO Quick Check: Daily Matting Inspection Log (Copy-Paste)
Daily Matting Inspection Log
Zone 1: Active Demolition (Heavy Plant)
- [ ] Ground Stability: Are ground protection mats clearly visible and free from deep submersion in mud?
- [ ] Connection Integrity: If using trackway, are joiners/bolts secure? Loose mats can slide under excavator tracks and contribute to tipping risk.
- [ ] No Plywood: Verify no standard plywood is being used as a substitute on vehicle routes.
- [ ] Demarcation: Are mats defining the safe operating zone? If a machine is off the mat, stop and reinstate the route/pad.
Zone 2: Transition & Decontamination
- [ ] Sticky Mat Saturation: If the top sheet is grey/full, has it been peeled to reveal a fresh layer?
- [ ] Boot Wash Sequence: Is the sticky mat located after the boot wash/scraper station? (Wet mud renders sticky mats ineffective.)
- [ ] Edge Hazards: Are corners/edges flat, framed, or taped down to prevent trips?
Zone 3: Welfare & Walkways
- [ ] Drainage Check: Are external walkway mats draining effectively? If water is pooling on top, the mat is the wrong type (likely non-permeable) and must be replaced.
- [ ] Curl Check: Inspect edges of runner mats. If edges are curling (common with cheap carpet-style mats), they are a trip hazard—replace immediately.
- [ ] Cable Crossings: If temporary cables run across walkways, are they covered with appropriate cable protectors or distinct high-visibility matting?
Reference links (HSE & legislation)
- HSE L153: Managing health and safety in construction (CDM 2015) (see Regulation 27 – Traffic routes)
- HSE CIS36: Construction dust
- HSE: Silica dust in construction
- HSE INDG225: Preventing slips and trips at work
- The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (legislation)
- COSHH Regulations 2002 (legislation)
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