CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskThe standards that govern flooring in care environments and how to apply them in a practical specification.
Floor surfaces in care homes are directly implicated in falls -- the leading cause of serious injury and avoidable hospital admissions in the UK care sector. The wrong floor finish can create a slip hazard in wet conditions, a trip hazard at changes in level, or a sensory confusion risk for residents with dementia. Getting the specification right is not an aesthetic decision; it is a safety and regulatory requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and the specific sectoral guidance in HTM 61 (Flooring).
Health Technical Memorandum 61 is the NHS guidance document on flooring, widely adopted across the wider care sector as the reference standard. It classifies floor areas by their slip risk and sets minimum pendulum test values (PTVs) for each zone. Key HTM 61 requirements for care homes: bedroom areas -- PTV 36+ dry; bathroom and wet room floors -- PTV 36+ wet; corridors and common areas -- PTV 36+ dry; ramp surfaces -- PTV 45+ wet. The standard also covers maintenance requirements: no floor finish retains its slip resistance indefinitely, and the testing programme should confirm performance is maintained.
PTV is measured using a standardised pendulum device (BS 7976-2) and is the most reliable measure of dynamic slip resistance. Manufacturers' R-value ratings are also used but are a less specific predictor of performance in a care home environment. When specifying a new floor finish, require the supplier to provide a PTV certificate from an accredited test laboratory under the specific test conditions relevant to your application (dry/wet, shod/barefoot). When the floor is installed, commission an independent PTV test on site before handover -- surface texture, grout joint configuration and maintenance products all affect in-service performance.
For units accommodating people with dementia, flooring specification must go beyond slip resistance. Avoid high-gloss finishes -- the reflection can be misinterpreted as a wet surface, causing residents to stop walking. Avoid strongly contrasting geometric patterns in the floor -- these can be perceived as steps or obstacles. Provide tonal continuity between floor and skirting where possible, as high contrast at skirting level can cause confusion. Use colour contrast at threshold changes to clearly indicate room entries. Building Regulations Part M and the Alzheimer's Society's design guidance both provide specific recommendations.
The slip resistance of a floor depends not only on the floor surface itself but on the cleaning regime. Some floor finishes are highly sensitive to cleaning product selection -- certain polishes and emulsion dressings reduce slip resistance significantly on vinyl floors. Require the flooring manufacturer to specify the compatible cleaning products and to confirm that the slip resistance performance is maintained under that regime. Provide this specification to your housekeeping team and include it in the service specification for any contracted cleaning company. Annual PTV testing of in-service floors is best practice.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.