Protection is "any measure taken to guard a thing against damage caused by outside forces"
Defence, guard, shield, safeguard, protection, whatever word you use, knowing where to place it is key to keeping your building looking good and your budget lasting longer.
With over 50 years’ experience of working within healthcare environments, we have the expertise and knowledge to help you place protection where it is needed.
Wall Protection in healthcare environments
Corridors and circulation areas are amongst the busiest parts of a hospital and must withstand a high volume of both pedestrian and wheeled traffic. These areas require a robust protection system in place to protect vulnerable walls and corners from scuffs and scrapes as a result of direct impacts.
The height of the protection is key, as is the amount of wall coverage. Often both are determined by budget, however, it's possible to head-off most damage with well-considered placement.
Protecting valuable medical equipment
Expensive and vital medical equipment is often situated behind patient beds and requires specialist protection. Installing Bed Head Protectors prevents damage to wall mounted equipment and protects the walls from beds and chairs that are frequently moved around, elevated or inclined.
Should I install Corner Guards?
Anyone who has been involved in the maintenance of a building will appreciate that corners are the most vulnerable part of the building, and when left exposed, they quickly become damaged as a result of everyday wear and tear. Installing Corner Guards is an easy way to reduce maintenance. With 34 colour options to choose from, in our range, corner guards can be chosen to blend in with the interior design, for a less industrial feel, or in a contrasting colour and tone to emphasis potential risk areas.
Installing High Impact or Standard Corner Guards will depend on the level and volume of traffic within an area. High volume areas, like main corridors, with both wheeled and pedestrian traffic, will benefit from installing High Impact Corner Guards. An office or reception area, where there is minimal pedestrian traffic, adequate protection can be achieved by using a Standard Corner Guard.
Where should I use Wall Guards?
Where frequent impact occurs, such as main corridors and entrance areas, Wall Guards should be considered as part of the overall design. Wall Guards include an internal bumper and an aluminium retainer for additional strength and are available in various styles and sizes to match the needs of different environments. The covers can easily be replaced, so are Ideal for future refurbishment, demanding less from future budgets.
Reception areas that are only likely to receive minor scuffs from chairs will not require wall guards, a simple Wall Strip is both a cost effective and an ample solution.
Should I consider Handrails as part of my specification?
Handrails in hospitals often need to serve more than one purpose. They can provide support and respite to patients, protect walls from bumps and scrapes and help wayfinding. In a hospital, we recommend that handrails are vital to protect patients from falls whilst protecting both their health and dignity. We offer several different types of handrail; however, our Dual Rail is most preferred as this offers both support and protection and complies with HBN-00-04 and Document M give guidance to offer optimum "protection from falling, collision and impact"
Handrails also need to be easily identified and located for support and wayfinding and should be selected in a colour that has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) that is 30 points different from the surrounding surface
Free Building Survey
With over 50 years’ experience working in the Healthcare industry at Gradus we understand that specifying and installing the correct Wall Protection to protect both your walls and budget can be difficult. That’s why we have developed a FREE building survey service. Our specialist Wall Protection team will use their project and product expertise to identify the most vulnerable areas within your building an recommend the best and most cost-effective solution to help you install protection where it’s needed.