By Amy Bostock/ Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

Rubber flooring delivers benefits that may help a range of people in healthcare facilities breathe a bit easier, from patients to administrators monitoring patient outcomes and their facility’s bottom line. To these groups and others, rubber flooring can be a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively.

Because most rubber floors do not contain any hazardous materials, patients can benefit from better indoor air quality (IAQ). Rubber flooring remains a sustainable material made from renewable natural rubber that is extracted from tropical rubber plants and synthetic rubber. 

Depending on the manufacturer, the product may also contain natural fillers to supplement the high-quality natural and industrial rubber qualities, as well as environmentally compatible color pigments that are free of lead and other heavy metals.

Just as importantly, all rubber flooring is free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and the risks associated with the leaching of chemicals used in the manufacture of PVC products. Because rubber flooring does not contain PVC, the floor covering does not generate any hydrochloric acid, dioxins or furans, leading to a healthier indoor environment.

The composition of rubber flooring can impact IAQ in another important way by preventing the growth of bacteria and fungi that can be detrimental to patient recovery and health. In most cases, the floor’s dense structure provides no place for dirt and bacteria to collect and breed. So dense is the surface of some manufacturers’ products that they actually resist penetration of fungi and micro-organism activity.

In fact, the dimensional stability of these products makes welded seams unnecessary in many installations, with tests showing no increase in bacteria or fungus counts, even in floor samples that contained un-welded seams and cuts in the floor.

Rubber floor’s natural resistance to bacteria and fungi does not eliminate the need to regularly clean the floors. Quite the contrary. Regularly scheduled cleaning is essential for protecting the health of patients, staff and visitors in a healthcare facility. But when rubber floors do require cleaning, the maintenance regimen is often easier and less costly than that of other floor coverings. Many tubber flooring products require no finishing, waxing or sealing.

In addition, the floor’s dense, nonporous and dirt-repellant surface eliminates the need to use unfriendly, harsh cleaning chemicals, ultimately saving maintenance teams time spent on labor and the costs associated with cleaning products.

Cleaning practices that avoid waxes, strippers and other harsh cleaning products benefits those who are especially sensitive to smells, including the sick, elderly and very young, or who suffer from allergies that these products aggravate. As a result, floors can be cleaned in the presence of patients without fear of compromising the air they breathe.

When a cleaning regimen does not necessitate the removal of patients from spaces to be cleaned, scheduling floor maintenance is simplified. Maintenance is far less invasive when waxes and strippers are not necessary, and emergency spills can be cleaned without the need to evacuate patients for extended periods of time while floors are cleaned and waxes applied and allowed to dry. 

A cleaning regimen that saves both time and money helps healthcare administrators breathe easier as they watch budgets and look for ways to streamline procedures without impacting the quality of the services their facilities and staff deliver. 

In fact, 80 percent of costs generally associated with floor coverings come from maintenance, and since many rubber floors do not require any waxing, stripping or finishing, those costs and the impact on the environment can be low. 

Administrators gain additional assurance knowing their rubber flooring offers slip resistance that meets OSHA requirements and contributes to a quiet environment, thanks to the natural acoustic features of rubber. The floor can also improve staff morale by offering comfort underfoot, which is so important to nurses who might spend as many as 12 hours on their feet during a single shift. Staff who work on rubber flooring frequently experience less back and leg strain and the accompanying muscle fatigue, making it easier for them to perform their job and put patient needs ahead of their own discomfort.

Administrators will also appreciate the life cycle costs associated with some rubber flooring.  In fact, select rubber floor coverings can feature extended life cycles, as high as 30 years, which reduce the need for frequent removal and disposal. 

When combined with lower maintenance costs, this extended life cycle makes these products an attractive, less expensive product over time than other options available to healthcare facilities. So, the floor offers the potential to save a significant amount of money when life-cycle cost savings are taken into account.

When it finally is time to dispose of rubber flooring, a variety of options are available, depending on the product. Some products can be recycled into new floor coverings or other materials, such as landscaping mulch, rubber mats or coverings for sports areas. 

Other old flooring products can be used for material, thermal and complete material/thermal recycling. Or, because rubber flooring contains no toxic substances, it can safely be disposed in landfills.

The floor covering can also help administrators reach their sustainability goals, including contributing to U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) credits. Depending on the flooring, these credits include: Materials and Resources – Building Reuse, Construction Waste Management, Material/Resource Reuse, Recycled Content, Rapidly Renewable Materials, and Regional Materials; and Indoor Environmental Quality – Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants; and Low-Emitting Materials: flooring Systems.

As healthcare administrators consider rubber flooring, they should look for certifications that attest to the product’s ability to contribute to good IAQ. Among the more accepted is FloorScore®, the certification program developed by Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) with SCS Global Services. FloorScore uses the California 1350 standard, testing for 32 different VOCs. 

More difficult to secure, GREENGUARD Children & Schools certification uses the same test protocol, but tests for an additional 330 VOCs and includes a total VOC emissions rate as part of the certification process. This high level certification offers stringent criteria to meet the strict emissions levels as presented by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). GEI is a world-wide acknowledged institute focusing on healthy indoor environments. All certified products are subjected to regular emissions tests.

Bostock is the global brand manager for nora systems, Inc. She can be reached at amy.bostock@nora.com.