ADVICE & OPINION
COMPLIANCE
FLOOR MATTING SYSTEMS
As many businesses prepare to reopen their
premises to employees, customers and
visitors, ensuring the highest levels of hygiene
and cleanliness to mitigate the spread of
bacteria and protect the health and safety of all
individuals, has never been higher on the agenda.
Initially, floor matting may not seem an
importance consideration in relation to this area.
However, as a significant proportion of dirt found
within a building is transported via people’s shoes,
wheelchairs and pushchairs, the correct application
of floor matting can successfully minimise the
frequency and transfer of dirt within a building to
subsequently improve overall hygiene levels.
However, in order to successfully achieve this,
a more holistic view of floor matting is required
throughout the industry to first understand the
practical benefits that various systems provide for
di„ erent areas of a building.
While specifiers and architects may initially outline
a suggested floor type and size, particularly for the
entrance of a building, this doesn’t mean that the
solution is fit for purpose and can actually meet the
unique demands of its specific application.
Here it becomes the responsibility of the facilities
management team to ensure the ongoing suitability
of the floor matting systems to successfully ensure
all possible dirt and moisture is successfully
captured and retained.
BRITISH STANDARDS
For entrance areas in particular, facilities managers
should first refer to the guidance outlined within
BS 7953:1999, which shares information on the
selection, installation and maintenance of matting
systems to minimise the transfer of soil into a
building and reduce its movement from one area to
another.
Here it states that entrance floor matting must also
reduce the risk of slip injuries, prolong the life of the
interior floor finish and reduce the cost of ongoing
maintenance.
It is therefore recommended that entrance mats
should be more than 1.2 metres in length, so that
individuals make contact with both feet when
entering the building to remove the highest possible
levels of dirt and moisture. For wheelchair tra„ ic,
the dimensions of the matting should be large
14 MAY 2021
enough for the wheels to turn twice before making
contact with the flooring installed underneath.
INCLUSIVE DESIGN
Facilities managers should also refer to the
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and BS 8300:
2009+A1:2010, to ensure that all floor matting
located throughout a building is suitable for
wheelchair users and disabled individuals. This
includes having a slip-resistant surface and firm top
layer to ensure the wheelchair can manoeuvre safely
and securely across the mat’s surface. The shading
and finish of the mat should also be considered to
clearly highlight slopes or areas where the level of
the floor may change.
Textile floor covering mats should also be either
set flush with the remainder of the floor, or if
surface laid, should be designed and constructed
to maintain original dimensions and positions, to
avoid slipping and prevent a tripping hazard.
FLOOR MATTING
Whilst entrance matting may be the primary
focus for facilities managers, it is a common
misconception that floor matting is not required
throughout other areas of a building. This is due to
the fact there can be multiple significant transfer
zones, which are prime areas for the transfer of dirt
and moisture.
To fulfil duty of care and go above and beyond
best practice, various floor matting solutions should
also be installed throughout additional areas
of a building. However, to ensure each of these
mats are fit for purpose and fulfil their functional
requirements, a matting survey should first be
carried out to identify where potential transfer areas
are throughout a building.
Conducting a survey will also enable the
identification of floor mats for additional
considerations, such as floor mats that are printed
with safety messages in luminous ink to highlight
fire exits in the event of a power failure, or display
key safety messages for transit zones, which is
particularly important for the warehousing and
manufacturing sectors.
If le‰ , dirt and moisture combine together and
turn into dust, which is then easily circulated
throughout an entire building and can have negative
health e„ ects for the buildings’ inhabitants.
In response to the current climate, improving
air quality and minimising dust transfer is more
important than ever, so reducing the level of dirt
and moisture that is able to enter a building should
be the first priority. This will also actively support a
reduction in cleaning and maintenance costs, as the
level of dust produced is significantly reduced.
Ongoing and su„ icient maintenance of the
floor mats is also integral to ensuring continued
compliance as the mat must provide the same
high levels of quality and safety as when it was first
installed. This includes incorporating the floor mats
into existing routines so that it becomes part of
regular cleaning practices.
By inspecting, laundering and quality control
checking every floor matting system on a regular
basis, facilities managers can ensure that the mats
are maintained to an optimum level to ensure their
continued capture of dirt and moisture, without
presenting a potential slip or trip hazard.
Lee Fox, Sales and Marketing Director for Kleen-Tex UK,
discusses the key compliance areas facilities managers
should be aware of when choosing, installing and
Paintaining fl oor Patting s\stePs
In association with