Outrigger pad
Also called Outrigger float, Crane pad, Spreader pad
A load-spreading pad placed directly under an individual outrigger foot, smaller and more localised than a full crane mat, used to reduce the bearing pressure at that specific point. “Float” is an alternative term for the same component, used particularly in mobile crane hire.
In practice
The practical line between a pad and a mat is what it was sized for. A pad is sized for one outrigger reaction and generally travels with the machine; a mat is sized for a particular lift and placed as part of setting up. Both are temporary works, and both should be chosen against a stated reaction and a stated allowable ground pressure rather than against what happens to be on the wagon.
Where this comes from: The distinction as we present it in our CPD-accredited seminar on good practice when specifying outrigger mats.
Where it matters on site
The common failure is not the pad breaking. It is a pad that is strong enough placed on ground that is not, or placed off-centre so the foot bears near an edge and the area actually doing the spreading is a fraction of the pad’s plan size. Centring the foot and bedding the pad on a flat, prepared surface does more for the real bearing pressure than moving up a size.