Wet Rooms and Bathrooms in Care Homes, Why Safety Flooring Matters
- Charlie Mac
- Aug 27
- 8 min read
“Research has confirmed the pendulum to be a reliable and accurate test, so HSE has adopted it as its standard test method for assessing floor slipperiness.” — Health and Safety Executive. HSE
Introduction, the hidden danger in the smallest room
Wet rooms and assisted bathrooms are the riskiest spaces in a care home. Water on the floor, soap and shampoo, tight turning circles with frames and wheelchairs, and frequent cleaning all stack the odds towards a slip. The NHS is clear that falls rise with age, and simple environmental changes help to cut the risk. Flooring is one of those changes you can control. Preventing and Managing Falls in Care Homes Best Practice Guidelines
This guide explains why safety flooring is the right foundation for care-home wet rooms in the UK. You will see what to ask for, how to read a data sheet, and how to talk to your fitter so the result is safe, durable and easy to clean.
The essentials in one minute
Specify safety flooring that records a wet Pendulum Test Value of 36 or more, that is the UK’s benchmark for low slip potential in wet conditions. HSE
Build the room so water drains away quickly, then clean in a way that preserves the floor’s micro-texture. HSE
Install to BS 8203, which is the British Standard for resilient floors. It covers flatness, moisture testing and adhesives, and prevents the common failures, lifting and gapping. BSI Knowledge
Who this is for, and how to read it?
This article speaks to the person who must procure a safe bathroom, not a lab technician. We will name the technical terms, then translate them.
Pendulum Test Value, PTV, think of a weighted rubber slider swinging across the floor, if the slider grips, the number is higher. PTV 36 or more in the wet is a widely accepted “low slip” threshold in the UK. HSE
Cap and cove, imagine running the floor up the wall in a smooth curve, like a skirting made from the floor itself. This removes the sharp corner where grime and water hide, so cleaning is faster and more reliable. Brands such as Altro and Polyflor offer fantastic solutions.
Heat-welded joints, the seams are joined with a thin strip of matching material so the floor becomes a continuous sheet, which stops water sinking into cracks.
BS 8203, a British Standard that sets out good practice for resilient floors, including moisture testing and how smooth and flat the base must be. It is a checklist for your installer, and your best insurance against problems. BSI Knowledge
Why safety flooring beats “nice-looking but risky” options in wet rooms
The UK uses the pendulum test to judge slip resistance in real-world conditions, including water and contaminants. Safety vinyl is engineered with tiny rough particles and a textured wear layer so the foot still grips when the surface is wet or soapy. The UK Slip Resistance Group’s latest guidance, Issue 6, 2024, explains the method and how to interpret results, and HSE publishes practical summaries for duty-holders. If a product’s data sheet shows wet PTV ≥ 36, you are in the right territory for bathrooms and showers. UK Slip Resistance HSE
By contrast, smooth vinyl or standard LVT can be excellent in dry rooms, but they are not designed to keep grip under a film of water and soap. Tiles can work when carefully chosen and maintained, yet grout, pooling and cleaning method often decide the outcome. HSE’s flooring pages are clear, where floors are wet or contaminated, people should still be able to walk safely. HSE
Real-world proof, a short case story you can picture
A regional care-home group we spoke to had three staff slips across two wet rooms in a quarter. Their risk assessment flagged water tracking to the doorway and cleaning that left detergent residue. They upgraded those rooms to PTV 36-plus safety vinyl with coved skirting and welded seams, added a shallow fall to the gully, and switched to a rinse step after cleaning. Over the next six months there were no recordable slips in those rooms and staff reported more confidence during assisted showers. That is the human value behind the test numbers. Case Study - Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
How to talk to your fitter, the five checks that prevent most failures
Ask to see wet PTV values on the data sheet Do not stop at “anti-slip”. Request wet pendulum results and the test standard. UKSRG Issue 6 explains what trustworthy testing looks like, and HSE links to the same method. UK Slip ResistanceHSE
Insist on BS 8203 installation This includes moisture testing of the screed and a smooth, flat base. When the base is damp or uneven, edges lift and water can track under the floor. The BSI overview shows the scope of the standard, and manufacturers such as Altro reference BS 8203 directly in their installation guides. BSI KnowledgeAltro
Specify cap and cove with heat-welded seams Describe it plainly, the floor curves up the wall and every joint is welded, which removes dirt traps and makes mopping faster. That supports infection prevention and control, which CQC expects to see evidenced in care settings. Care Quality Commission
Design drainage that actually clears water A slip-resistant surface that holds puddles is still risky. Agree a gentle fall to the drain and keep thresholds flush so frames and wheelchairs roll smoothly.
Lock in a cleaning plan that preserves grip HSE publications explain that residues from the wrong chemicals, or no rinse step, reduce surface friction. Build a simple method, dry mop first, use the recommended detergent at the right dilution, then rinse and leave the floor to dry. HSE
What to look for on a product data sheet
Wet PTV value and the test reference, you are aiming for PTV ≥ 36 wet as a minimum in bathrooms and shower areas. HSE
Construction, look for sustained slip resistance, often described as particles throughout the wear layer.
Chemical compatibility, especially with disinfectants and alcohol gels, which matter for IPC. CQC expects a clear, defensible policy on cleaning and disinfection. Care Quality Commission
Installation notes, confirmation that the floor can be coved and seams welded, and that the guide aligns with BS 8203. Altro
Cleaning, the simple loop that keeps slip resistance day after day
Slip resistance is not a one-time purchase. It is maintained. HSE’s slips and trips publications highlight that cleaning can make or break a safe surface. Use a quick loop that teams can follow without fuss, dry sweep to remove grit, mop with the recommended cleaner, rinse to remove residue, and allow to dry before traffic returns. In shower areas, schedule periodic deep cleans to lift body-fat films and soap scum. HSE
Beyond safety, the hygiene and sustainability angles
Hygiene and IPC, cap and cove with welded seams creates a continuous surface that leaves nowhere for grime to lodge at the floor edge. That supports the CQC’s expectations for infection prevention in adult social care. Care Quality Commission
End of life matters too. Vinyl is durable, yet recycling routes can be patchy for households. In the commercial world there is progress. Recofloor, founded by Altro and Polyflor, runs a UK-wide take-back scheme for smooth, safety and LVT offcuts, as well as uplifted material under set conditions. If you include Recofloor at tender stage, you can keep more flooring out of landfill and often save on skip costs. recofloor.org
Action section, the exact words to put in your brief
“Supply and install safety vinyl flooring to bathrooms and wet rooms that achieves PTV ≥ 36 wet when tested to UK guidance. Provide the product data sheet with test details.” UK Slip ResistanceHSE
“Install to BS 8203 with documented moisture testing of screeds and manufacturer-approved adhesives and smoothing compounds.” BSI Knowledge
“Form cap and cove with heat-welded seams and compatible skirts, and create falls to drains so water clears quickly.”
“Provide a one-page cleaning method statement that preserves slip resistance, with dilution and rinse steps in line with HSE advice.” HSE
“Propose end-of-life or offcut recycling via Recofloor, where feasible.” recofloor.org
Frequently asked questions
What slip rating should I ask for in a care-home bathroom Ask for a product that records PTV 36 or more in the wet, as measured by the pendulum test that HSE adopts. This threshold is widely used in UK risk assessments for wet areas. HSE
Do I need safety flooring if I already use mats Mats help, but they move and they do not cover every inch. Safety flooring gives you a base level of grip across the whole room, then mats add a margin in the highest risk spots. HSE guidance focuses on making the surface itself safe in foreseeable contamination. HSE
Tiles or safety vinyl, which is better Tiles can perform well with the right finish and maintenance, yet grout and pooling need more attention. Safety vinyl gives you continuous coverage, coved edges and welded seams, which is faster to clean and easier to keep consistent in small rooms.
Is this just for residents, or staff too Both. Bathrooms are tight, carers often work in awkward positions, and a confident, grippy floor reduces slips during assisted care. The NHS’ falls messaging applies to everyone who moves through a wet space. nhs.uk
Why do installers keep talking about BS 8203 Because it prevents the failures that make floors unsafe, or expensive to fix. The standard covers moisture testing, flatness and adhesives for resilient floors. If your installer follows it, you are protecting your investment and reducing risk. BSI Knowledge
Mini chart, “Why PTV matters,” - Slip Alert VS Pendulum test
Recommended floor | Wet PTV target | Build details that matter | Cleaning focus | |
Shower interior | Safety vinyl | ≥ 36 | Cap and cove up the wall, welded seams, gentle fall to the drain | Dry sweep first, correct detergent and dilution, rinse, allow to dry |
Adjacent drying area | Safety vinyl | ≥ 36 | Seam welded, tight thresholds, clear water path to drain | Remove soap films, schedule periodic deep cleans |
WC and basin area | Safety vinyl or tile with proven wet data | ≥ 36 | Smooth transitions for frames and wheelchairs, no water traps | Keep floors dry after cleaning and use |
Doorway threshold | Compatible transition to LVT or carpet tile | Not a wet area target | Flush transition, no lips, seal edges | Place absorbent mat outside the wet zone |
Further reading and useful links
HSE, Assessing the slip resistance of flooring, the UK’s core reference on pendulum testing and interpreting results. HSE
UKSRG Guidelines, Issue 6, detailed UK procedure for reliable slip testing and reporting. UK Slip Resistance
HSE, Flooring in wet or contaminated areas, practical pointers that complement GEIS2. HSE
BSI Knowledge, BS 8203 overview, the British Standard for resilient floor installation, the page you can cite in orders and tenders. BSI Knowledge
CQC, Infection prevention and control in care homes, what inspectors expect to see evidenced. Care Quality Commission
Recofloor, the UK take-back scheme for vinyl, including safety flooring and LVT offcuts. recofloor.org
Comments