Doraville, GA, January 2019—Los Alamos National Laboratory is located a short distance from Santa Fe, NM. With winter temperatures there often dipping into the teens and low 20s, and an average snow accumulation of 20-plus inches a year, keeping the facility’s more than 9,000 employees safe by reducing winter-related slip-and-fall accidents is a serious concern. To help meet the challenge, the LANL facility maintenance team recently installed a HeatTrak Snow Melting Mat System to keep a walkway behind one of its buildings clear of snow and ice.
“Typically, we use the traditional methods of salt and chemicals to keep areas free of ice and snow,” said John Garcia, part of the team. “But the heavy foot traffic associated with this particular location was tracking residue into the building, creating a safety hazard and doing damage to floors, so we went looking for an alternative solution. We found it with HeatTrak.”
HeatTrak’s snow melting mat systems are designed to prevent snow and ice accumulation at industrial facilities and commercial environments, according to senior HeatTrak product specialist Ryan Williams. He explained that HeatTrak mats prevent new snow from accumulating by melting it on contact at a rate of two inches per hour.
“Our snow melting mats are durable and stand up to heavy foot traffic. They are making a significant difference at LANL by keeping the walkway clear of snow and ice without compromising on cleanliness. The issue the LANL team had is common at facilities with heavy foot traffic. Our mats have become the ‘go-to’ solution to address this problem,” Williams said.
HeatTrak is the original inventor of portable snow melting mats. With more than 50,000 mats in use around North America, the company has become the industry expert in snow removal matting products. Its electrically heated snow melting mats plug into any standard 120V, 208V or 240V electrical outlet, melting snow and ice on contact. HeatTrak products help facility managers reduce slip-and-fall rates, thereby reducing their liability exposure and helping to lower their insurance premiums.
“Keeping people safe is our number-one priority. With the HeatTrak system we’ve seen a decline in slip-and-fall accidents and, commensurately, a decrease in our liability risk,” Garcia said.
HeatTrak is the developer and primary manufacturer of outdoor heated matting products. Founded in 2004, the company’s products are an efficient, convenient, and economical way to eliminate snow and ice accumulation around the workplace. More than 50,000 mats are in use throughout North America at facilities that include Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, and universities. Read more about HeatTrak and the company’s complete range of solutions at https://heattrak.com/.
