Electrical Matting FAQs

Electrical safety matting is a special grade of rubber floor mat with excellent insulating properties specifically designed for use in front of switchboards or high-voltage equipment. It can provide safety for operators or maintenance staff against electrical shock, and should be specified in any area where Health & Safety risk assessments show a possibility of high-voltage shock.

How do rubber safety mats work?

Rubber is a natural dielectric material and will therefore inhibit the flow of electric charge as a result of its molecular structure preventing the free flow of electrons. The dielectric and electrically resistant properties of Rubber make it an ideal insulator. This, combined with the flexibility and cushioning nature of the material make it a perfect choice for electrical safety matting.

Rubber, due to its properties of resistivity, is used in many applications throughout industry to insulate and protect; it is an obvious choice for electrical safety matting and is tested vigorously to ensure the level of protection is met.

Maintaining the insulating properties of the Rubber is intrinsically linked with the construction of the compound. Any additives (dyes, fillers, preservatives and curatives) can all affect the electrical resistance, hence the need for strict quality control standards to be applied throughout manufacture to maintain the insulation performance.

How are our rubber mats manufactured?

Mixing: The ingredients are accurately weighted according to the formula, pre-heated to between 95°C and 104°C and thoroughly mixed. This compound is then put through a roller to remove air and produce an unvulcanised sheet 2mm-3mm thicker than the finished requirement. It is then left to cure for 3-4 days.

Calendering: Rolls are formed by calendaring, where the compound passes between more rollers to the correct thickness. This flattens and mixes the compound. The pre-heating treatment ensures steady operation of the calendar and minimizes shrinkage. The roller surface temperature is controlled to +/- 1°C. Sheeting is usually produced using a vertical calender with thickness control.

Rotocuring: The second part of the calendaring process is preformed on rotocures, where a ribbed pattern is applied to the top surface and identifying tape is applied to the underside.

Drying & Testing: The rolls are then air-dried before passing through a 2-electrode testing station to ensure every running metre complies to the correct electrical specification according to the thickness; 11kv at 6mm and 15kv at 9.5mm.

Finishing: Following these processes, the finished material is wound into rolls. We are able to supply in these full rolls, or cut to the size ordered on our website.

What protection does an Electrical Safety Mat offer?

Important safety information!
Electrical safety floor mats can only protect against earth contact through the floor: -
They will not provide any protection if a person simultaneously touches the large areas of metal of a control panel and any exposed live conductors which are likely to be at earth potential.

They could receive a dangerous shock unless they are protected by suitable personal protective equipment such as our electrical safety gauntlets.

Only suitably qualified personnel should work on electrical equipment.

We would strongly reccomend that if you are responsible for Health & Safety in an evironment where there is risk of electric shock you should research the following resources:

• The Health and Safety Executive have a useful section on their website regarding Electrical Safety
• They also publish HSE Information Sheet EIS 37 Safety in electrical testing: Switchgear and control gear

Where should I use Electrical Safety Mats?

Electrical safety mats should be used wherever there is a risk of electric shock, usually such places as

• In front of switchboards
• In front of machine control gear
• In plant rooms
• In lift control gear rooms
• As portable protection for site engineers working on live equipment 
  

How do I use an Electrical Safety Mat?

Electrical safety mats should be placed anywhere personnel could be standing in front of the equipment. The persons at risk should stand on the matting in order to protect them from a direct short through their body via their feet to ground. 

Which electrical rubber mat should I choose?

The grade of matting you should choose depends on the level of protection you require.  

450V protection.
If your switchgear is single phase [240 volts] we suggest you allow you a useful 90% safety margin by specifying 450V protection .
This grade of matting will protect personnel up to its maximum working voltage of 450 volts and the mats are 100% electronically tested to 11,000 volts thus eliminating concerns of contamination, porosity or holes in the rubber.

650V protection.
If your switchgear is 3 phase [415 volts] we suggest you allow a useful 50% safety margin by specifying 650V protection.
This grade of matting will protect personnel up to a maximum working voltage of 650 volts and is 100% electronically tested to 15,000 volts in accordance with the test methods laid down by BS921:1976 it is recommended by the Health and Safety Executive

What is BS921:1976?

BS921 is a British Standard Specification for rubber mats for electrical purposes. It deals with insulating mats made of solid natural or synthetic rubber used as floor coverings near electrical apparatus where circumstances involve the possibility of direct contact with conductors whose voltage does not exceed 650 V r.m.s. to earth

The standard defines

• Composition
• Construction
• Thickness and width
• Workmanship and finish
• Performance requirements
• Marking

Key requirements of the standard stipulate that

• 100% of the mat is tested at 15kV for 1 minutes and the leakage stipulation tested
• The mat is clearly marked with the test standard, date and identification mark of the manufacturer
• The dimensions always meet the specification
• The rubber compound meets the physical property requirements.

You can purchase a copy of BS:921 from the British Standards Institute

What sizes are electrical safety mats available in?

The working voltage and preference for specification will dictate the thickness of mat you require.

Width
Standard widths available are 450V 914mm, 450V 1000mm and 450V 1220mm and 650V 914mm, 650V 1000mm and 650V 1220mm.

Be aware that BS 921 stipulates that; "Mats shall have a minimum width of 900mm to accord with the regulations concerning the minimum width of a working platform or passageway associated with a switchboard on which there are exposed live conductors(for voltages up to 650). Where the Regulations do not apply the same minimum width is reccomended."

Length
Standard lengths of electrical matting we supply;- rolls of 10 metres or 11.5 metres long dependant on which option you select

Cut lengths;- we can cut you an electrical safety mat to your required size if you want to buy less than a full roll of electrical m.

Be aware that the reccomendations above should be applied to minimum lengths as well.

i.e. the smallest electrical safety mat you should consider using should be no less than 900 mm x 900 mm