FLOORING SYSTEMS
Adhesive-free products can minimise disruption
When it comes to healthcare facility refurbishments, time is always of the essence. Here, Chris Rand, Segment Marketing manager for Healthcare at Forbo Flooring Systems, explains why opting for adhesive- free floor coverings can provide a wealth of benefits, including increasing the speed of installation, which can minimise downtime and disruption to daily operations, as well as improving the wellbeing of staff, patients, and visitors.
With recent news suggesting that the Government has committed to supporting the NHS to ‘build back better’, a number of Trusts across the country will soon have facilities upgraded to continue to deliver world-class care to their patients.1
While tackling critical
maintenance issues – which includes the refurbishment of wards – is a must, planning for renovations can prove to be a challenge, as healthcare buildings are in constant use around the clock. Disruption and closures need always to be kept to a minimum, and while the coronavirus remains a prominent threat, limiting the time that tradespeople spend on site must also be taken into consideration. The choice of flooring plays a fundamental role in healthcare design. Increasingly used to make environments feel less clinical, floorcoverings can help to achieve a relaxing atmosphere and contribute positively to patient comfort. As well as wishing to create stylish and functional flooring designs in their healthcare buildings that meet the requirements outlined in Health Building Note 00-10, Part A: Flooring, in a recent iGOV survey, 95% of responding NHS Trusts cited ‘speed of installation and minimising service disruption’ as a ‘mid-
high priority’ when considering a floorcovering,2
rapid refurbishments.
Floorcoverings that are traditionally glued down may take several days to install and fully cure, resulting in lengthy disruptions that hospitals and surgeries simply do not have time for. Luckily, the latest developments on the market can take the hassle out of healthcare flooring specification. Providing that the existing sub-floor is suitable, adhesive-free floorcoverings can offer the most viable solution, as these products have been designed for projects where a quick turnaround and minimal downtime are essential. In fact, they are particularly ideal for areas where continuous access is required.
Why go adhesive-free? Saving time and money
Adhesive-free floor coverings have been designed to be laid straight down onto the sub-floor, or even over an existing floor, with minimal preparation in many cases, avoiding the need for expensive and time-consuming removal of the previous floor. This reduces installation time by over 50%, and means that refurbishment work can be completed
reiterating the need for
over the weekend, overnight, or even while the building is still in full operation – depending on the size of the installation area. Thanks to the reduced installation time, and in turn, labour, adhesive-free floorcoverings provide NHS Trusts with a cost-saving alternative.
Ready to use immediately
Prolonged downtime is certainly not an option within the healthcare sector. With adhesive-free installations, the room being fitted will only be out of action for a minimal amount of time, and furniture can be moved within it if necessary. Due to the fact that installation is completely free of adhesives, no setting or drying time needs to be factored into the project, and there is no need to wait for 48 hours before using with heavy traffic. Once the floor has been fitted, it is ready for use immediately, whether it is walked on, or wheeled over. Furniture can also be put back in its original place, and facilities can resume operation as normal.
Improving occupant health and wellbeing While polluted air is rarely visible to the naked eye, air quality does greatly influence the health and wellbeing of building occupants. Poor indoor air quality
Modul’up is reportedly ‘ideal for high traffic applications’, easy to clean, and provides outstanding indentation resistance.
Forbo says 'the benefits of adhesive-free floorcoverings make them an attractive proposition for healthcare refurbishment'.
July 2021 Health Estate Journal 49
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