A convertible floor panel assembly incorporates a metal wire mesh subfloor and a polymer deck overlying the wire mesh subfloor. A plurality of alignment heads project from an underside of the polymer deck, and are designed to extend through respective mesh openings defined by the wire mesh subfloor. A plurality of panel retainers engage respective alignment heads, and are adapted for removably attaching the wire mesh subfloor and the polymer deck together. The floor panel assembly is thereby convertible between a substantially open-surface sound permeable safety structure and a continuous solid-surface structure for increased floor load capacity.