For Healthcare And Eldercare FacilitiesA clean bill of healthCarpet is being used in all common public areas of healthcare facilities — in corridors for sound absorption and in waiting rooms, lobbies and offices for beauty, comfort and design variety. It is also being used more often in patient rooms, wards and nurseries, where it lends a feeling of warmth and homeyness. As far back as 1985, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in their Guidelines for Handwashing and Hospital Environmental Control, stated, “recommendations against use of carpet in patient-care areas have been removed. Since there is no epidemiologic evidence to show that carpet influences the nosocomial infection rate in hospitals, whether to use carpet, therefore, is not considered an infection control issue.” This guideline still stands. However, carpet is not advised for use in areas where there may be excessive or frequent spills, such as in emergency and trauma areas, operating rooms, surgical recovery rooms and labs. Selecting the right carpetColor selection: Color options are highly diverse and can be chosen to provide a variety of simulating or soothing effects. Interestingly, color can play a significant role in facilities or units that care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, patients seem to remember colors better than numbers; therefore, color in carpet can provide a link to a specific hall or wing. In areas with visually impaired patients, brighter colors aid in depth perception and differentiation of areas. Americans with Disabilities Act: The Americans with Disabilities Act requires carpet to have a pile height of a half-inch or less, as measured from the bottom of the tuft. Carpet construction: The look of a carpet is determined by its construction, which may be level loop, multilevel loop, cut pile or combinations of cut and loop pile. In corridors, lobbies and patient care areas, loop piles tend to retain their appearance and resiliency and generally provide a better surface for rolling traffic, especially when the carpet has a low, dense construction. Cut pile or cut and loop pile carpet are both good choices for administration areas. Performance: In the healthcare market carpet performance expectations will determine what fibers, construction, backing systems and treatments are specified. Again, the specifier must be able to delineate the highest priority performance requirements, so that the manufacturer’s representative can recommend products that will meet those expectations. Fiber: Nylon, olefin (polypropylene) and wool are the primary fibers used in commercial carpet for healthcare applications. For commercial applications, approximately 80 tot-82 percent will be nylon, 8 to 10 percent will be olefin and 8% will be wool. Nylon is by far the most prevalent fiber in use. Nylon is excellent in wearability, abrasion resistance and resilience, is easily cleaned and can be stain resistant. Olefin is used where resistance to sunlight fading and chemicals is more important than durability to traffic. Olefin is only available as a solution dyed BCF fiber, is colorfast, resists fading, generates low levels of static electricity and is resistant to acid-based stains. Wool is a natural staple fiber, is durable, resilient and self-extinguishing when burned Yarns can be either bulk continuous filament (BCF) or staple. Staple yarns are short fibers, and may fuzz or lose fiber more than BCF; therefore, BCF is chosen more often for healthcare use. The method by which carpet is dyed is important in the patient care areas. Solution dyeing is preferred in areas subject to stains and spills because the color is achieved by the pigment within the yarn. Other areas in healthcare facilities, such as offices, lobbies and corridors may employ a variety of dye methods, such as stock dyeing, yarn dyeing, piece dyeing and printing, all of which are dependent on the amount of pattern and colors needed for the interior appearance. Static electricity considerations: Carpet can be specified to meet criteria for the static electricity tolerances of highly sensitive electronic areas, such as computer rooms or telemetry units. Microbiological considerations: Antimicrobial treatments considered helpful in reducing the propagation and spread of microorganisms have been used in healthcare carpet since 1980. Antimicrobial treatment benefits a healthcare facility by providing insurance for when spots and spills cannot be immediately cleaned; however, it does not eliminate the need for a regular cleaning and maintenance plan. Indoor air quality: Even though carpet emits the fewest VOCs of any floor covering, CRI developed its Green Label and Green Label Plus programs to test and certify carpet, carpet cushion and adhesives that emit the lowest levels of VOCs and other individual emissions. Carpet emits less VOCs than other renovation and construction products, such as paint, wallboard, wall coverings and cleaning materials. Furthermore, those low emissions clear with 48 to 72 hours, and more quickly with good ventilation. To ensure the best indoor environment in your healthcare facility, specify Green Label or Green Label Plus products. Installation: Specifiers should not forget installation. It is important to include requirements that dictate installation procedures, such as how the carpet will be installed, cushion type and weight, and delivery and installation schedules. When installing carpet, always adhere to industry standards as published in the Standard for Installation Specification of Commercial Carpet, CRI 104 The specifier should request and include in the specification the manufacturer’s installation instructions for patterns, unusual shapes and borders. Always check the installers' credentials. The contractors should be certified by the manufacturer or the Floor Covering Installation Board. Maintenance: The importance of a consistent and thorough maintenance plan, plus a plan to address unusual spills, is of importance, regardless of the type of flooring surface selected. Proper and regular maintenance of carpet will prolong its life and beauty. The carpet maintenance plan should result from careful consideration of the carpet manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning methods and the CRI recommendations for commercial cleaning and maintenance.
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