How Safe and Effective Is Polysafe Hydro Safety Flooring in Wet Areas?
Learn how Polysafe Hydro safety flooring enhances slip resistance, durability, and hygiene, making it a reliable choice for wet and high-traffic areas.
Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common causes of accidents, both at home and in public places. The risk is significantly heightened in wet environments, where a combination of water and a smooth surface can create a dangerous hazard. For spaces like swimming pools, changing rooms, showers, and hydrotherapy areas, selecting the right flooring from Gillett Flooring is not just a matter of aesthetics; it is a critical safety decision. The market is flooded with options, but one name consistently stands out for its specialised performance in wet, barefoot areas: Polysafe Hydro safety flooring.
But how safe and effective is it, really? The answer lies in its unique, engineered design, its rigorous testing against industry standards, and its proven performance in real-world applications. This guide will provide a deep dive into the technology behind Polysafe Hydro, demonstrating why it is considered a leading solution for ensuring safety and preventing accidents in constantly wet environments.
The Science Behind Polysafe Hydro
Polysafe Hydro is not a standard vinyl floor. It is a highly engineered product designed with a single, clear purpose: to provide exceptional slip resistance, particularly in areas where people are likely to be barefoot. The secret to its effectiveness lies in its unique composition.
The flooring is a sheet of vinyl that has a specialised slip-resistant surface. During the manufacturing process, a blend of different particles is integrated into the material's wear layer. These particles are not just for decoration; they are the active ingredients in the flooring's safety mechanism. They include:
Carborundum: A very hard, synthetic material that provides excellent abrasion resistance and a durable, non-slip surface.
Quartz: A mineral that is incredibly hard and provides added texture and durability.
Aluminium Oxide: Another extremely hard material that contributes to the flooring's long-lasting slip resistance.
These particles are evenly distributed throughout the flooring, creating a coarse, gritty surface texture that is specifically designed to create friction, even when wet. The flooring is also designed with a raised embossment pattern, which helps to channel water away from the foot's contact area, further reducing the risk of a slip.
The Ultimate Test of Effectiveness: Slip Resistance Ratings
When evaluating any safety flooring, you can't rely on looks alone. You need to look at the numbers. The safety and effectiveness of Polysafe Hydro can be proven by its performance against key industry-standard tests.
The Pendulum Test Value (PTV)
The Pendulum Test is the most widely recognised and respected test for assessing slip resistance. It measures the dynamic friction of a surface using a device that swings a 'foot' (either a rubber slider for shod feet or a softer one for barefoot) across the flooring. The result is the Pendulum Test Value (PTV).
The PTV scale is simple:
0-24: High slip potential
25-35: Moderate slip potential
36+: Low slip potential
Polysafe Hydro flooring is specifically designed for wet areas and consistently achieves a PTV rating of 50+ in wet conditions with a barefoot slider. A PTV of 50+ is a significant achievement and puts this flooring firmly in the 'low slip potential' category, even when saturated with water. This performance is a direct result of the embedded slip-resistant particles and the unique surface texture.
Surface Roughness and the R-Rating
Another important metric is the R-rating, which measures a flooring's slip resistance on a scale from R9 (lowest) to R13 (highest) and is typically used for dry areas. While the PTV is the primary test for wet environments, the surface roughness of Polysafe Hydro contributes to its excellent performance. The grit-like surface provides a high coefficient of friction, ensuring a secure foothold even in the most challenging conditions.
Effectiveness in Specific Wet Areas
The true test of any product is its effectiveness in real-world environments. Polysafe Hydro flooring is specifically recommended and widely used in a number of demanding applications:
Swimming Pool Surrounds and Changing Rooms: These are arguably the most challenging of all wet areas. The flooring's ability to provide a secure grip, even with constant water splash and barefoot traffic, is essential for preventing slips as people get in and out of the pool.
Communal Showers and Bathrooms: In these environments, the combination of soap, shampoo, and water can make surfaces incredibly slick. The slip-resistant particles in Polysafe Hydro provide a vital friction point, ensuring a safer showering experience.
Hydrotherapy Pools: For therapeutic and rehabilitation pools, where patients may have mobility issues or be using walking aids, the flooring's high PTV rating provides the utmost safety and confidence for both the patients and the staff assisting them.
Slipper Baths and Wet Rooms: For both commercial and domestic wet rooms, Polysafe Hydro offers a stylish and highly effective alternative to tiles, eliminating the risk of slips and falls without the need for a shower tray.
Beyond Safety: Other Benefits of Polysafe Hydro
While safety is its primary selling point, Polysafe Hydro's effectiveness in wet areas is also a result of its other practical benefits:
Impervious to Water: Unlike porous materials like some types of stone or wood, Polysafe Hydro is impervious to water. This means it will not warp, swell, or get damaged by constant exposure to moisture, ensuring its longevity and stability.
Hygienic and Easy to Clean: The flooring's surface is treated with a Polyurethane Reinforced (PUR) layer, which makes it incredibly easy to clean and maintain. This PUR coating provides a barrier against dirt and grime and prevents bacterial growth, which is a key consideration for hygiene-sensitive environments.
Durable and Long-Lasting: The blend of carborundum and other particles not only provides slip resistance but also makes the floor incredibly durable and resistant to abrasion, scuffing, and heavy foot traffic. This ensures that the flooring's safety properties are maintained over a long period.
Aesthetic Appeal: Modern safety flooring is no longer purely utilitarian. Polysafe Hydro comes in a wide range of colours and finishes, from calming blues and greens for pools to more neutral tones for changing rooms. This allows designers to create both a safe and visually appealing space.
The Importance of Correct Installation and Maintenance
No matter how good the flooring material is, its effectiveness is entirely dependent on correct installation and proper, regular maintenance.
Professional Installation: The flooring must be installed by a professional who understands the specific requirements for a wet environment. This includes proper subfloor preparation, seam welding, and coving (extending the floor slightly up the wall) to create a fully tanked, waterproof area. Incorrect installation can compromise the floor's integrity and its slip-resistant properties.
Regular Cleaning: While the flooring is easy to clean, it must be done regularly to prevent a build-up of soap residue, oils, or grime. This residue can fill the microscopic grooves and channels in the flooring's surface, reducing its friction and its slip-resistant properties over time. Using the recommended cleaning products and a structured cleaning routine is vital to maintain the flooring's safety performance for years to come.
Conclusion
For any space where water and people meet, the risk of a slip or fall is a constant concern that must be taken seriously. Polysafe Hydro safety flooring is a meticulously engineered solution that directly addresses this challenge. Through its unique blend of slip-resistant particles and its superior performance in Pendulum and other industry tests, it provides a high-friction surface that dramatically reduces the risk of accidents, even in the wettest conditions. Beyond its exceptional safety record, its durability, hygienic properties, and ease of maintenance make it a smart and long-lasting investment. By choosing a product like Polysafe Hydro and ensuring its correct installation and care, you are not just selecting a floor; you are choosing a proven solution that prioritises the safety and well-being of everyone who uses the space.
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