Safety matting - today's Screwfix offer.

The Screwfix special today is ‘extra thick heavy duty work station matting 1500 x 900 @ £29-99 a discount of £10—00’.

**LINK**

Rereading the blurb,

'Holes allow drainage of spilt liquid or debis leaving a dry, safe top surface'.

should these mats be placed on duck boards to allow for drainage?

Edited By JimmieS on 18/01/2018 10:18:13

I suppose it all depends on whether or not a flood is involved or just a dropped coffee cup. My workshop floor matting is made up of interlocking dense foam mats about 1/2 inch thick and small spills of liquid get absorbed to evaporate later.

The biggest handling hazard is the trodden in swarf which becomes embedded and can't be removed. I don't think the Screwfix mats are intended to be used in other than full contact with the floor and could squirm about on duck boards to become a trip hazard as a result.

In any case, why put something on top of a duck board? Being slatted everything drops through to the floor below.

Regards Brian

Hi Brian

The ref to duck boards was made in humour - as you probably realised. As ducks enjoy water, how/where did the term come from? Another of the great unknowns! Like what I did last week.

Jim

Hello JimmieS,

I admit I was puzzled by the reference to duck boards but I had not realised you were writing tongue in cheek.

I did though like their reference to 'debis' (Screwfix wording) of which I am sure I have a great deal in my shop!

As for the origins of the term, I too have no idea

Regards Brian

Duck boards for a duck house! To try and keep a wooden floor as dry as possible or at least ventilated. Ducks can be very wet birds (compared with hens) and they never wipe their feet!

Someone ducking the question, then?

I'd have to look it up to confirm, but I think duck boards were used on the deck of ships in areas of deck that was often awash, they gave a dry footing for the likes of the helms man at the wheel of a sailing ship.

Another origen is the flooded trenches of WW1 in France.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 19/01/2018 10:30:32

Trenches from 1914 according to the Imperial War Museum

Bill

I found some info on how to use safety mats, or "Swarf Mats" here: **LINK**

As for Duckboards... The word duckboard was created during the early 20th century to describe the boards or slats of wood laid down to provide safe footing for the soldiers of World War I across wet or muddy ground in trenches or camps. The original duckboards didn't always work as intended though. According to one soldier, duckboards came by their name because someone walking on wet duckboards was liable to slide off them much like water slides off a duck's back.

Source: **LINK**

You're welcome

Perhaps invented by that well known scottish regiment the Khaki Campbells? Eider that or as used on the Russian front by the Muscovy's..... ducks and runs...

Careful, you'll end up hoist by your own pochard.

Neil

When I first heard the term many years ago I was never sure as to whether they were 'duck' or 'duct' boards, pronunciation almost the same and 'duct boards' always seemed more logical as they were boards to cover ducts and keep your feet dry.

John

John,

The same as duct tape.

For years I thought it was duck tape.

On joining an air conditioning company, that also made and installed ducting, was I made very aware of my faux pa!

Geoff - The guys at work just would not let that go.