Article Improving Infection Control with Flooring

The effort to mitigate and eliminate the occurrence of HAIs is rapidly taking hold, particularly in a post-pandemic environment that is concerned with implementing long-term safeguards to better protect against the transmission of germs. Furthermore, hospitals are now operating on a reimbursement model that awards them on reduction of HAIs, as well as patient perception of cleanliness, and ultimately patient outcomes. This means effective, efficient, reliable, and safe care that helps patients feel better faster, leading to a reduced length of stay and improved health. These things combined warrant an imminent hard look at the built space in which care is taking place, with a thoughtful analysis of all the building materials being selected to support these desired patient outcomes.

From the Ground Up
As one of the largest surface areas in a hospital, flooring is one of the most overlooked, yet hugely impactful, elements of the built healing environment. Through the lens of infection prevention, the flooring being selected should be tailor specified to the space it will be going in. Operating rooms for example require a seamless surface that is non-porous, air-tight, and flash-coved up the wall to prevent water and dirt seepage which can create a habitat for pathogens.

In all areas, it is imperative to evaluate a floor’s cleanability and ease of maintenance. When thinking about cross-contamination on flooring, things like wheelchair wheels that are being turned by hand, and visitors placing their handbags or other personal items on the floor are just a couple examples of how transmission can take place via the floor. Some flooring manufacturers offer proprietary coatings, like Armstrong Flooring’s Diamond 10 Technology, that provide superior wear resistance, able to stand up to not only daily, but long-term cleaning and disinfecting protocols a facility puts in place. Additionally, being able to more easily maintain the floor translates to an enhanced perception of clean, and more comforting environment for healing to take place.

Antimicrobial Free Flooring
It’s important to understand the impact of antimicrobials through an infection prevention lens. An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. For a stretch, there was an effort in infection prevention to use interior finishes and materials touting antimicrobial additives and benefits. Upon several research study findings, many respected organizations such as Healthcare Without Harm and Green Science Policy Institute, oppose the use of antimicrobials, noting that these products hold out the promise of reducing infection but instead create a false sense of confidence while contributing to antibiotic resistance. Armstrong Flooring products are free of added antimicrobials – instead choosing to focus on product performance including cleanability, ease of maintenance, and stain resistance.   

To minimize the risk of microbial contamination, the CDC as well as the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC, Ontario, Canada), recommends the following characteristics for finishes, furniture, and other surfaces.

For more information to consider in your selection of materials to support reduction of HAI’s, download our white paper - Infection Control and Flooring.

Learn more about our flooring solutions for healthcare.