Designing a Safety Mat Layout: What You Should Consider When Planning a Safety Mat System
Mat Size
One of the most important factors to consider when designing your mat layout is how large an area around your machine needs to be guarded—that is, what size mats will you need for your particular application. Some people will simply look at a machine and "eyeball" it to determine mat size, but that may not be enough to provide proper guarding.
In a secondary guarding operation where mats are used to prevent machinery restart, often times safety mats are used inside a work cell. Perimeter guards, including safety interlocks and light curtains, for example, surround the outside of the work cell preventing personnel from entering the area while machinery is in operation. Mats are used inside the cell to prevent the machinery from being restarted while someone is in the dangerous area beyond the primary guards.
To determine mat size in an area like this and measure the area inside the work cell to get a general idea of the size of the area to be guarded your first step is to consult the appropriate safety standard that applies to your particular piece of machinery. In addition to the size of the area to be guarded, it is important to take into account any other obstructions within the safety zone that you will need to accommodate. Then simply contact Larco for a scaled layout drawing.
In the example below, the machine being guarded was surrounded by a perimeter fence and safety interlock. However in this particular application, the machinery inside the work cell required periodic maintenance. In order to prevent machinery restart during maintenance, mats are placed on the floor around the machinery base. The entire area to be guarded was 190 inches wide by 135 inches deep. In order to accommodate the machinery base and to take advantage of standard mat sizes and reduce overall costs for the installation, the layout below was designed by Larco personnel.
Mat Edges and Trim
The second consideration when designing your safety mat layout is the type of mat edging and trim you will be using to secure your mat to the floor. To begin, define areas where your mats will "butt" up against a machine base or obstruction. In the example above, the mats surround the machine base. These "butted" edges, therefore, do not need trim. In other applications where debris that could work its way under the mat is present, you may consider securing your mats with Larco's Labor Saver Self Adhesive system or blunt edge extrusion on these edges.
The perimeter edges are secured to the floor using a 4-sided trim kit. The trim selected accommodates pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic with the 2-1/2" ramp trim and accommodates multiple cords using the 2" joining trim. This mounting method in particular also reduces tripping hazards. For more information on selecting appropriate trim for your application, see the article Choosing a Mounting Method: Securing Your Safety Mats in Place.
Control Unit
Selecting the right control unit for your safety mat system is another important step in the design process. Some factors you'll need to consider include the number of mats in your layout, whether or not you need visible safety system status monitoring at the operator station and whether or not you need mat diagnostics. Larco offers safety mat controllers to fit your needs and to accommodate different application situations.
Larco sales personnel in your area or Larco product specialists are here to assist you in selecting products specific to your application. They will assist you in any step along the way, from choosing appropriate mat sizes to selecting the right controller and proper installation procedures. In addition, Larco can supply a CAD drawings detailing your specific mat layout. Simply call or contact your local Larco representative for more information.