The importance of infection prevention 1 Jul, 2014

Infection control teams are increasingly requesting that neutral detergents and taurine-based products are used to clean safety flooring, which is a popular flooring material for healthcare settings – but these need to be applied by a machine to be truly effective. Operatives using conventional mops can’t put enough pressure on the floor to ensure total efficacy. Neutral detergents will only work effectively in a machine as they need the thoroughness provided by brush agitation.

Brushes should be colour-coded to prevent cross contamination, and those made from materials such as poly-propylene don’t harbour bacteria like natural fibres, and are easy to disinfect. These are all crucial points to consider when selecting cleaning equipment, as are the speed and pressure at which brushes operate. Too much friction can cause burn marks to floors, so this aspect should be thoroughly researched before any purchasing decisions are made.

Slip and trip accidents are another great concern in healthcare setttings, with their potential to create significant extra costs for hospitals including lost time, additional care requirements, and financial claims from those who have been injured. By selecting battery-powered machines, with no trailing leads, and ones that have the ability to leave floors clean and dry in a single pass, facility managers can help to reduce the risks of slips and trips occurring.

It’s clear that healthcare flooring needs to possess a wide range of attributes – but selecting your surfacing materials is just the first step. Installing new flooring is an expensive business, especially when healthcare budgets are under such enormous pressure, so the correct cleaning and maintenance methods can ensure that they remain viable for as long as possible.