Food and pharmaceutical production environments call for strict standards of cleanliness. As a result, the building needs to meet a range of criteria owing to the various sanitation, not to mention regulatory requirements that exist.
While mezzanine floors are typically associated with storage or industrial manufacturing usage purposes, they can also be tailored for hygienic settings, including for food or pharmaceutical use.
Pharmaceutical or food production mezzanines are specially designed elevated platforms used in to create additional workspace. Crucially, they are built in a way that allows for strict cleanliness and safety standards to be upheld.
At The Mezzanine Company, we install mezzanine floors for a wide range of industries across the UK.
In today’s post, we’re here to guide you on the approach a mezzanine floor project that is intended for food production or pharmaceutical use, including how this differs from other types of mezzanines.
Why Are Hygienic Mezzanine Floors Such A Great Option?
Many businesses across the UK face the challenge of their commercial premises not offering enough space. Often, this space is needed for the likes of storage or manufacturing. Sometimes, the problem is simply a small building footprint. However, the likes of forklift traffic or other key functions may also result in a tightly packed layout, thus also restricting the available floor space.
Industries, including warehousing and retail, have already discovered that a mezzanine floor can solve such space challenges. This is because a mezzanine floor moves key functions away from the main floor into what’s currently empty space within the upper portion of the building. However, it is also possible for a mezzanine floor to cater to more specialist environmental needs, including the types of conditions required by food production and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
A mezzanine floor offers food and pharmaceutical manufacturers a practical way to expand usable floor space within an existing facility without the cost, disruption or planning complexity of a full building extension. In production environments where every square metre is allocated to process equipment, quality control, packaging lines or storage, a mezzanine creates additional levels that can house additional functions.
Examples of how a hygienic mezzanine floor can be used include production areas, staff welfare areas, documentation offices or materials storage.
For regulated manufacturers operating under BRC or GMP frameworks, this separation of functions also supports zoning strategies, helping to physically segregate raw material handling from finished product areas. A hygienic mezzanine can also reduce cross-contamination risk between departments.
With the right hygienic specification, a mezzanine integrates seamlessly into a food safe or pharmaceutical grade environment, delivering meaningful capacity gains without compromising compliance.
Why Standard Mezzanine Floors Are Not Suitable for Food and Pharma Environments
A conventional industrial mezzanine is designed to offer structural efficiency. Therefore, the materials and profiles used are optimised for load capacity and cost, rather than hygiene. In food and pharmaceutical settings, this usually means that a standard mezzanine floor isn’t compatible.
For example, while open bar grating is a common decking choice for standard mezzanines, it can be difficult to clean in line with the stringent standards required by food or pharma industries.
Industrial cleaning agents, steam cleaning and sanitiser fogging are also routinely used in food and pharma facilities. However, these can all corrode untreated mild steel, leading to structural degradation and product contamination risk.
Overall, in regulated environments, the specification of a mezzanine floor is not an operational detail, it is ultimately a compliance matter.
Key Design Principles For Hygienic Mezzanine Floors
Hygienic mezzanine design follows the same core principles as hygienic equipment engineering. This calls for surfaces to be easy to clean, resistant to contamination and inspectable without removing major structural elements.
In practice, this means:
The use of smooth, seamless and non-porous surfaces throughout, such as the decking, handrails, staircase and structural frame.
The elimination of horizontal ledges and flat-topped sections where dust and debris can accumulate.
Crevice-free joints achieved through full-penetration welding and ground-smooth finishing.
Sloped or self-draining deck surfaces in wet environments where high-pressure or steam cleaning is used.
Colour coding incorporated into surface treatments or coatings to support zoning requirements.
Easy access for cleaning validation, which means having no enclosed voids or unreachable areas beneath the structure.
Materials And Finishes Used in Hygienic Mezzanine Construction
The material specification of a hygienic mezzanine determines both its compliance credentials and its long-term performance.
The following covers the main options across each element of the structure:
Structural Steelwork
Hot-dip galvanised steel – This is suitable for dry environments with moderate cleaning regimes.
Grade 304 stainless steel – The standard specification for most food manufacturing and pharmaceutical applications.
Grade 316 stainless steel – The preferred in high-chloride environments, wet processing areas or where aggressive cleaning chemicals are used.
Closed hollow section profiles throughout – That’s because open sections create internal voids that cannot be cleaned or inspected.
Decking Options
Stainless steel chequer plate or solid plate – This is the highest hygiene specification as it is fully cleanable and durable.
GRP (glass reinforced plastic) anti-slip panels – These are chemically resistant, non-corrosive and available in a range of surface profiles.
Resin-coated or epoxy-finished solid decking – Cost-effective in lower-risk food environments, provided the coating system is food-safe and maintained.
Sealed moisture-resistant board with a hygienic coating system – Offers suitability for some dry food applications.
Handrails And Guarding
Stainless steel tube railings with fully welded and polished joints – This results in no bolt-on fittings which eliminates crevices.
Closed tube ends – That’s because open-ended box sections can trap moisture and debris.
Toe boards must also be sealed to the deck surface to prevent debris from falling to the level below.
Coatings And Surface Treatments
The use of food-safe epoxy and polyurethane coating systems
Anti-microbial coating options should be used for the highest-risk applications.
RAL colour options for zone demarcation – Red, blue, yellow and green are commonly used for allergen, non-allergen, raw and ready-to-eat zones.
Installation Considerations For Hygienic Mezzanine Floors In The UK
Following everything we’ve just covered above, it’s apparent that the installation process for a hygienic mezzanine in a food or pharmaceutical environment requires a more controlled approach than a standard industrial project.
In particular, the contamination risk during installation must be managed carefully. Works in operational food or pharma facilities typically require a controlled works programme, so that production areas can be fully isolated from the construction zone.
The interface between the new mezzanine and the existing ground-level floor is also a critical detail. Hygienic coving, sealed joints and compatible flooring systems must be specified to ensure there are no contamination routes between levels.
Building regulations approval is required for all mezzanine structures in the UK. However, for pharmaceutical clients, this documentation feeds directly into the site qualification process.
Finer details such as material certifications, surface finish test results and cleaning procedure recommendations should be agreed at the outset and delivered as part of the project handover pack.
Get A Free Quote For A Hygienic Mezzanine Floor Installation UK
At The Mezzanine Company, we design and install mezzanine floors to suit a wide range of industries and specific use cases. Our team is based in Nottingham, but our installation terms work right across the UK.
To discuss hygienic mezzanine floor options for your facility, please contact our specialist team for a consultation and site assessment.
Or, for any general mezzanine floor installation enquiries, please give us a call on 0115 647 7425.
