Passenger Safety Begins at the Airport Door

There are near 5,100 public airports in the U.S. Before the pandemic in 2020, the five busiest airports (Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Los Angeles International, O'Hare International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, and Denver International) were seeing yearly foot traffic of over 200 million passengers. While this number decreased dramatically during 2020 the numbers are back on the rise with the development of vaccinations and education to protect passengers. 

With passengers entering airports every day from all over the country and soon from all over the world, keeping the facilities clean is an essential responsibility to ensure the health and safety of the passengers and employees who enter these buildings every day. 

The first line of defense to keep these facilities safe is the entrances. With millions of people passing through the entrances every year, these areas can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and even viruses. While there are many forms of disinfectants to protect visitors—protective matting solutions are often overlooked as a safeguard for the facility. 

Matting solutions are always included in the safety plan to prevent slips, trips, and falls—however, different entrance rug options will also help stop the spread of illnesses. 

Crown Matting Technologies premium entrance mats are manufactured with ThermoGrip backing. ThermoGrip backing is made with BactiStop, an antimicrobial agent that prevents the development of germs and mold underneath the entrance mats. It is a Nitrile blend rubber specially formulated to resist possible environmental damage and resistance against cracking in extreme temperatures. Not only will these mats prevent the spread of bacteria – but they will also perform longer than rental mats and other entrance mats increasing the return on investment for facility managers. 

Disinfectant stations can also be placed in entrances. These mats can hold a disinfectant solution to scrub and disinfect shoes as individuals walk across the mat. This would kill any viruses that are tracked through the daily foot traffic. 

Moisture-wicking capabilities are also an important aspect of the proper matting solution. Because airports are used year-round in all types of weather, mats are needed to help absorb and hold this moisture. Some mats are far more effective at doing this than others. Airport administrators select the most effective wiper mats possible. Some wipers can hold as much as three times more liquid than others.  

Installing the proper matting solutions will not only increase the safety and the health of the passengers it will also prolong the life of the floor finish in the building. Some vinyl and rubber backings will cause the floor under the mat to fade or darken—Crown’s ThermoGrip mats prevent discoloration on the floors. By appointing the appropriate floor mats building administrators can increase the longevity of their floor finish by up to 50%!

Quality entrance matting will also improve the cleanliness of the facility. Entrance mats can capture 80% to 90% of the dirt that is tracked in through foot traffic – 1,000 people can track in up to 24lbs of dirt into a facility. That is a lot of dirt considering the foot traffic these large airports see daily! 

Crown Mats are NFSI Certified. The National Floor Safety Institute certifies floor mats that can help reduce slip and fall accidents. These mats are referred to as "high traction" mats, because of their enhanced safety features and benefits.

For more information on the value of floor mats in airports and all other types of facilities, contact a Crown Matting Specialist.