HeatTrak is helping safety supervisors provide a safer work environment during the winter season

Slips and falls in the workplace due to snow and ice are an ever present danger during winter months. HeatTrak, a leader in the snow-melting industry, can help facility maintenance and environmental safety supervisors provide a safer work environment all season long by reducing the risk of accidents in the workplace due to snow and ice. HeatTrak, manufacturer of heated matting products for commercial and industrial use, has developed a unique product line of walkway and stair mats in a variety of standard dimensions that can meet the needs of any business or facility. HeatTrak can also customize heated mat systems to meet more specific dimension requirements. Made of durable, natural rubber, these mats lie on top of existing outdoor surfaces and may be left outside for the entire winter season. At 40 watts per square foot, they melt snow at a rate of two inches per hour and in temperatures as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit. Hillel Glazer, president and inventor of HeatTrak products, says safety and reducing the danger of slip-and-fall injuries during the winter are the main benefits of HeatTrak heated matting products, but that HeatTrak mats also offer a better, more environmentally friendly alternative to calcium chloride for melting snow and ice. "Salted entranceways lead to messy floors and can discolor surfaces as foot traffic tracks the calcium chloride inside. Calcium chloride disintegrates all types of material over time and can damage the environment and surrounding vegetation. HeatTrak mats help preserve all walkway surfaces, especially expensive pavers," he said. Also, by using HeatTrak mats in trouble locations such as emergency exits, back entrances, and loading docks, maintenance crews can spend more time at other problem areas. "And when used in conjunction with automated snow sensors, the HeatTrak mats will turn on automatically, at the first sign of snow, so you never have to worry about that particular area again," Glazer said. Walkway mats are available in widths of 24, 36, and 48 inches; lengths are in increments of 5 feet. Standard walkway mats measure 2'x5', 2'x10', 2'x15', etc.; 3'x5', 3'x 10', 3'x15', etc.; and so on. Walkway mats retail for $32.81 per s/f for 120V mats and $33.75 per s/f for 240V mats. Stair mats come with their own set of watertight connector cables that can connect to additional HeatTrak stair mats to form a heated stair mat system. Businesses and facilities can build their systems based on the number of steps in their workplace that need to be kept clear. Each system requires one power supply plug (included). A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is built into each plug. Cord length is six feet. Stair mat dimensions measure 11 inches wide by 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, or 92 inches long. Both the walkway mats and the stair mats have a continuous V-chevron pattern on their surface for extra traction. The mats are 1/2 inch thick with grommet holes embedded in each corner to help secure the mats to the ground. The mats are available in both 120V and 240V and carry a two-year manufacturer's warranty. HeatTrak mats are built and tested to UL standard 499 and carry the certification mark of the T.U.V. Mats are most commonly used for walkways and stairs but can also be used for roofs and handicap ramps. HeatTrak walkway and stair mats are part of a constellation of HeatTrak products that includes a line of residential mats. HeatTrak products have consistently high satisfaction ratings from customers. Jim Roberts, facilities and maintenance director at Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah, said, "We always used to have ice buildup on our central footbridge until we installed a HeatTrak mat. I'm sorry I didn't find you guys sooner." HeatTrak walkway and stair mats are available at the company's new online store (www.heattrak.com), Costco.com, and Homedepot.com.