Heavy-Duty Entrance Matting At The Balfour Hospital

PROJECT DETAILS

System	INTRAform DM
Specification	Silver finish with INTRAlux Elite Black 608 and multi-directional ribbed rubber
Location	Orkney
Architect	Keppie Design

Safe and hygienic

Using INTRAform DM entrance matting, Keppie Design specified a combination of inserts to create multiple safe and hygienic entrances for the new £65m Balfour Hospital in Orkney.

The state-of-the-art rural general hospital serves the entire 21,000 strong population of the islands. With a traditional need for shelter against extreme weather conditions, a robust entrance matting system is essential to ward against slips. A high-performance matting system also protects the interior finishes of the facility.

“The absorbency of the matting is really good if it is a really wet day or even when there has been snowy days it doesn’t drag throughout the building. We have various contractors going throughout the building and it retains dirt very well.”
– Heather Taylor, Domestic Services

With a consistent flow of foot and wheeled traffic, and strict hygiene considerations, hospitals need a heavy-duty entrance matting system to stop dirt at the door. Never more so than in the wind and rain lashed Orkneys.

entrance matting at balfour hospital Orkney

An effective barrier

To create an effective barrier, the multiple entrances at The Balfour Hospital use a combination of inserts within a single aluminium recessed system.

The main entrance mat features both rubber and fibre to create a modified zonal system within a single mat. INTRAlux Elite polyamide fibre and multi-directional rubber in the front half of the circle slide doors provide superior scraping action and initial moisture absorption. The fibre inserts are then continued into the back half of the doors and into the primary matting area to remove any remaining dirt and moisture from footwear and wheels.

The primary entrance measures more than 7 metres front-to-back. This provides a substantial walk-off area to ensure enough steps or wheel rotations on the matting. The more steps taken on the matting, the more dirt and moisture is removed before entering the building.

This zonal combination of rubber and fibre is also used at the 2 main estate entrances and catering kitchen entrance, where traffic is heaviest.

Rubber inserts are essential for entrances that are open to the elements like The Balfour Hospital. The rubber fins act as squeegees to remove the excess moisture, enabling the fibre inserts to thoroughly clean and dry.

Secondary entrances

The secondary entrances, where foot and wheeled traffic is considerably lighter, use the INTRAlux Elite fibre on its own for a cost-effective entrance matting solution.

The double-width inserts in the INTRAform DM system are perfect for busy public entrances. The larger areas of fibre or rubber offer more surface area for scraping and absorption. This provides improved performance even over smaller areas.

With a class 33 wear rating and 92,990 tufts of Econyl recycled nylon per square metre, INTRAlux Elite fibre also offers 5.4l of moisture absorption per square metre- perfect for the island climate.

Specification Guide

With multiple entrances, conservative budgets, and strict hygiene considerations, specifying an effective entrance matting solution for hospitals is far from straightforward.

For guidance on the key considerations, example specifications and product advice, read our blog, ‘Specifying Entrance Matting for Hospitals and Healthcare‘ or download our free guide for hospitals and healthcare:

Download the Specification Guide for Hospitals & Healthcare