Blog contribution by Paul McKinney, EDAC, National Healthcare Segment Director, Gerflor USA.
Behavioral Health is among the fastest growing applications in the Healthcare Space. The challenges involved in marrying the performance attributes required of an acute behavioral facility, while also achieving desired aesthetic outcomes, can be daunting.
Facility designers are first challenged with determining the requirements of flooring and other finishes based on the nature of the patient population: Is a softer, cushioned floor the best option, or is durability the overriding objective, while still trying to maximize comfort and safety? We understand that some degree of durability will be sacrificed when softer or cushioned floors are installed.
At Gerflor, we make the worlds leading cushion-backed sports floor in Taraflex, and have used it in many Behavioral Health applications. Having said that, most of our BH work in recent years has centered around durability requirements and the related safety attributes that flooring and integrated wall systems can provide, while also helping to achieve the warmth and other aesthetic benefits to help make spaces look less institutional.
Durability attributes in a flooring or integrated floor / wall system that can directly affect Clinical, Operational, and Business outcomes in a BH space include aspects such as surface density, weld integrity, scratch resistance, and overall pick-resistance. Behavioral Health spaces are more susceptible to damage after installation.
Example of post-installation wall damage.
Example of post-installation floor and wall damage.
Durability in resilient floor coverings can involve a variety of different concerns. The “science” with which a product is made (amount of filler and binder material vs. pure vinyl, for instance) can impact various performance attributes. Independent testing by credible 3rd parties supports Evidence Based Design principles and should be referenced whenever possible.
Surface density with which a product is manufactured can influence things such as chemical resistance; critical in determining which disinfectants and cleaning agents are suitable for a surface. 3rd party testing and
verification by an organization such as Steris, ASTM, and ISO can determine that a surface is resistant to any of the active ingredients used in disinfectants as well as any staining agents typically found in acute healthcare environments. Surface Density also can affect aspects such as puncture resistance.
This product makeup also directly affects Weld Integrity. Breaking welds are a major concern in BH applications and other Acute care applications such as Operating Rooms. Strength of welds can be verified by 3rd party testing such as ISO 10581, and EN 684 to determine best-in-class performance.
An example of excessive scratching in a BH Application.
Scratch resistance is a primary concern in BH spaces as heavy furniture can be dragged across floors and cause unsightly damage as well as potentially compromise the structural integrity of the surface. Again, depending on the make-up of the product itself, all product types and materials are not created equal and higher concentrations of binders and fillers can cause some products to scratch more easily.
Example of cracked vertical seams due to product makeup or installation.
This theme of product makeup can also affect the “pliability” of a product. Products that are stiffer or more brittle are more difficult to install, particularly in flash-coved (integral base) applications and can lead to seams that are more likely to fail, and cracking in the product itself.
The Complexity between floor and walls is a significant challenge facing those building health spaces, as identified by the industry.”
– Randall Carter, EDAC, Vice President, The Center for Health Design.
