System for electrically grounding a reusable load-supporting surface deployed on or near the surface of the earth, the system comprising: at least two mats at least partially forming the load-supporting surface , each said mat having substantially planar respective top and bottom faces , multiple sides and at least one edge extending around each said side , said mats being configured to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon; and a plurality of substantially planar, removable, electrically-conductive covers optionally comprising a frame and constructed at least partially of electrically-conductive material and constructed and arranged to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon, each said cover extending at least partially across said top face of one of said mats and not extending over any of said edges thereof and each said cover being flexibly coupled to said associated mat wherein flexibly coupled means said cover is coupled to said mat sufficiently rigidly to perform as part of the load-supporting surface and sufficiently flexibly to allow said mat to bend, flex, expand and contract or a combination thereof relative to said cover due to one or more environmental factors and the movement of personnel, vehicles and/or equipment across the load-supporting surface during normal, typical or expected use conditions without decoupling said cover from said associated mat and without undesirably damaging or deforming said cover or said mat while allowing said cover and said mat to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon, each said cover having at least one conductive interface configured to electrically couple said cover to another said cover of the load-supporting surface , and at least one of said covers being configured to be electrically coupled to the earth. at least two mats at least partially forming the load-supporting surface , each said mat having substantially planar respective top and bottom faces , multiple sides and at least one edge extending around each said side , said mats being configured to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon; and a plurality of substantially planar, removable, electrically-conductive covers optionally comprising a frame and constructed at least partially of electrically-conductive material and constructed and arranged to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon, each said cover extending at least partially across said top face of one of said mats and not extending over any of said edges thereof and each said cover being flexibly coupled to said associated mat wherein flexibly coupled means said cover is coupled to said mat sufficiently rigidly to perform as part of the load-supporting surface and sufficiently flexibly to allow said mat to bend, flex, expand and contract or a combination thereof relative to said cover due to one or more environmental factors and the movement of personnel, vehicles and/or equipment across the load-supporting surface during normal, typical or expected use conditions without decoupling said cover from said associated mat and without undesirably damaging or deforming said cover or said mat while allowing said cover and said mat to support the weight and movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon, each said cover having at least one conductive interface configured to electrically couple said cover to another said cover of the load-supporting surface , and at least one of said covers being configured to be electrically coupled to the earth. <EOS>