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What to Consider When Replacing Hospital Flooring
Hospitals are demanding environments. From emergency departments running 24/7 to sterile operating theatres and public corridors with constant foot traffic, every surface plays a part in patient safety, infection control and operational efficiency. When flooring starts to fail, it doesn’t just look tired; it can put hygiene and safety at risk. Upgrading to a modern hospital safety flooring system is a significant investment, but done right, it can extend the lifespan of a facility, reduce maintenance costs and help ensure compliance with healthcare standards.
Replacing Hospital Flooring
Hospital flooring takes a constant beating – high footfall, medical trolleys, wheeled equipment, spills and frequent cleaning all contribute to the accelerated wear. Even the best floors wear down over time, which leads to cracks, staining, uneven surfaces and compromised hygiene. These aren’t just aesthetic issues in healthcare facilities. Damaged or ageing floors increase slip hazards and can lead to operational disruptions if floors need emergency repairs.
Damaged or porous surfaces also allow bacteria to build up in joints or crevices (creating infection control risks). This undermines hygiene protocols and increases the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). These are infections that occur in a healthcare facility that a patient didn’t have before they came in. Patient experience also suffers when floors are stained, uneven, or visibly worn. These conditions create an impression of neglect, which can erode trust in the facility’s quality of care.
Facilities typically replace hospital safety flooring for several reasons: the existing surface has deteriorated beyond effective repair, infection control standards have changed, or new areas are being commissioned and require durable surfaces. Sometimes, the decision is driven by planned refurbishment programmes. Other times, it’s reactive – a response to patient safety incidents. Hospitals are also under increasing pressure to meet environmental and safety regulations.
Old flooring materials may no longer meet slip-resistance standards or chemical resistance requirements. Upgrading the flooring helps mitigate these risks and brings facilities up to current standards.
Meeting Safety and Compliance Standards
Safety and compliance are non-negotiable in healthcare settings. Floors have to meet HTM 61 and HBN 00-10 Part A guidelines, which cover flooring and infection control requirements for healthcare environments. As per HBN 00-10 guidance, “all finishes in healthcare facilities should be chosen with cleaning in mind, especially where contamination with blood or body fluid is a possibility (that is, smooth, non-porous and water-resistant).”
Hospital safety flooring needs to be seamless, non-porous, and able to withstand frequent, aggressive cleaning without deterioration. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also requires that surfaces should minimise slip risks, particularly in areas prone to spills or moisture. Resin flooring systems are particularly suited to healthcare environments because they deliver:
- Slip resistance (particularly in wet areas, such as operating theatres and bathrooms).
- Seamless, impermeable finishes that prevent bacterial growth.
- Chemical resistance to withstand regular disinfection and cleaning.
What to Consider Before Replacing Hospital Flooring
Before committing to a refurbishment project, facilities managers need to assess the operational demands of each clinical area. A corridor with constant foot traffic will have different needs to a theatre suite or a sterile lab. Your evaluation should consider footfall, cleaning protocols, infection control requirements, and the physical stresses each area experiences. Equally important is understanding how installation can be scheduled to minimise disruption – something often overlooked during planning.
Operational service life and longevity
A well-specified hospital safety flooring system can last 10–20 years, reducing the need for costly future refurbishments and disruption to clinical operations. Floors designed to resist wear, impact and chemical exposure remain functional for decades, delivering better value than cheaper alternatives that need frequent repairs.
Durability in high-traffic areas
Corridors, waiting rooms and emergency units experience relentless traffic. Staff, patients, and visitors move through these spaces constantly, along with trolleys, wheelchairs, and cleaning apparatus. Any weak points can quickly develop into cracks or wear patches that compromise safety. Traditional vinyl or linoleum floors often struggle under these conditions.
Epoxy and polyurethane resin systems are well-suited to these conditions because they offer excellent abrasion resistance and impact tolerance. These systems bond directly to the substrate, creating a seamless surface that eliminates weak points. A textured finish can also be added to improve non-slip grip without creating a surface that’s difficult to clean.
Cleaning and infection control
Cleanliness is central to every hospital’s operation. Hospital safety flooring needs to withstand constant washing, chemical disinfectants, and steam cleaning – without losing its surface integrity. Porous or damaged surfaces absorb liquids, creating breeding grounds for bacteria that standard cleaning cannot eliminate.
Resin flooring is ideal here because it’s non-porous and can be sloped toward drains for fast water run-off. Coving also creates a seamless transition between the floor and wall, eliminating the corner joint where dirt, moisture, and bacteria typically accumulate and compromise infection control. In high-hygiene areas such as operating theatres and sterile preparation rooms, coving is often a regulatory requirement to meet healthcare standards.
Choosing the Best Flooring for Hospitals
Resin flooring is widely used in hospitals because it offers a balance of durability, safety, and hygiene. Epoxy, polyurethane, and Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) bond chemically to the concrete substrate, forming a monolithic surface that eliminates seams and joints (preventing bacterial buildup, which is essential for infection control in critical areas like wards and operating theatres). Resin flooring can also incorporate slip-resistant finishes that meet HSE standards for hospital safety flooring.
Beyond hygiene and safety, resin floors are very durable. They resist wear, impact and chemical exposure, often lasting 15 to 20 years or more with minimal maintenance. This longevity reduces lifecycle costs and minimises the disruption associated with frequent replacements.
Managing the logistics and downtime
Replacing hospital flooring doesn’t have to disrupt daily operations. With proper planning, it’s possible to phase work across different departments or complete installations overnight or on weekends – at Impact Flooring, we often install resin floors in sections to keep most of the facility operational while work progresses. This works particularly well in corridors and wards, where temporary diversions can be set up. Communication with clinical staff is essential, though – they need to know when areas will be unavailable and how long the disruption will last.
Making the Right Decision for Hospital Safety Flooring
Replacing hospital flooring is an opportunity to future-proof your facility. By choosing the right flooring system and working with an experienced installer like Impact Flooring, you can achieve a surface that looks good, performs under pressure, and stands up to years of use. Resin flooring meets strict hygiene and compliance requirements, and our team brings decades of experience to the job. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.