Case Study: Food Manufacturer Achieves BRC Grade AA with HACCP-Compliant Drainage Rubber Matting
The Challenge
Greenfield Foods Ltd operates a food processing facility in Lincolnshire producing prepared salads and vegetable products for major UK supermarket supply chains. BRC certification at Grade A or above is a contractual requirement of two of the company's largest customers, accounting for approximately 65% of annual turnover. When the 2022 BRC audit returned a Grade B result — the minimum acceptable to maintain contracts — with a major non-conformance logged against the production floor environment, facility manager Richard Allsop understood the commercial stakes clearly.
The non-conformance related to the production floor matting in the wet processing area. The facility uses high-pressure water for washing incoming produce, and the production floor is consistently wet. The matting in use had been in service for four years. The audit finding was specific: the mats showed surface degradation and join failure that had created areas where the mat surface was lifting, presenting both a slip hazard and a potential bacterial harbouring point. ATP swab results from two mat surface locations had exceeded the facility's acceptable threshold.
A slip incident involving a production operative three months prior to the audit had been logged and investigated. The operative had slipped on a section of mat that had curled at the join, stepped onto the wet floor surface beneath, and sustained a sprained wrist — reportable under RIDDOR. Allsop had 90 days from the audit date to resolve the major non-conformance. The replacement matting needed to be specified, procured, installed, and ATP-tested within that window.
Why Rubber Matting Direct
Three suppliers were contacted. Two could not supply HACCP documentation confirming the rubber compound was food-grade certified — an omission the food safety manager was not willing to accept. Rubber Matting Direct's anti-slip drainage rubber matting came with the compound documentation required. The matting is manufactured from an EPDM compound without fabric backing, providing a fully cleanable non-absorbent surface with drainage holes at regular intervals. The R11 wet slip rating exceeded the facility's minimum specification.
A trial installation of 20m² was carried out in one zone of the processing floor. The trial mats were subjected to the facility's standard shift-end cleaning protocol — including high-pressure wash-down with food-grade disinfectant — and ATP-swabbed 24 hours after cleaning. Results came in at 18-22 RLU across the trial section, well below the 50 RLU threshold. The decision to proceed with full installation was made the following week.
The Solution
The full 380m² installation was carried out over a four-day scheduled maintenance shutdown. The old matting was removed and bagged for disposal. The concrete floor — exposed for the first time in four years — was inspected, found to be in good condition aside from calcium carbonate deposits, and high-pressure cleaned and disinfected before new matting was laid.
The new matting was laid in standard drainage mat configuration — parallel sections with minimal joins at the drainage gully positions — with each section pressed flat and secured with stainless steel clip anchors at the corners. Stainless steel fixings were specified rather than rubber adhesive to maintain hygiene standards and allow the mats to be lifted without residue for the quarterly deep-clean protocol.
One area near the main produce washing stations had a slightly lower drain gradient than the rest of the floor, causing pooling in the previous installation. The matting contractor addressed this by cutting mats in that section to create channels directing water more effectively toward the nearest drain — a practical modification requiring no changes to the floor structure itself.
The Results
The re-audit took place eleven weeks after installation. The previous major non-conformance against the production floor was closed without a new non-conformance. ATP swab results across the production floor matting came in at 8-31 RLU — well below the 50 RLU threshold. The facility received a BRC Grade AA — an improvement not only on the Grade B of the previous year but on the Grade A that had been the target.
Zero slip incidents have been recorded on the production floor in the fifteen months since installation. The RIDDOR incident that preceded the mat replacement was the last floor-related incident logged. The cleaning team reported that drainage holes in the new mats cleared completely under standard wash-down, removing the manual hole-clearing task from the cleaning protocol — previously taking approximately 25 minutes per shift.
"We needed the BRC non-conformance closed within 90 days. We got it closed, we got the re-audit passed at Grade AA, and the ATP testing is consistently coming in below threshold. The other benefit nobody mentioned was that the cleaning team aren't having to unblock drainage holes every shift. That was a genuine time saving we hadn't expected."— Richard Allsop, Facility Manager, Greenfield Foods Ltd
Product Details
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Anti-Slip Drainage Rubber Matting (Food-Safe) |
| Material | EPDM rubber — food-grade compound |
| Thickness | 9mm |
| Drainage | Regular aperture drainage holes throughout |
| Slip Rating | R11 (wet) |
| Fixings | Stainless steel clip anchors (hygienic, removable) |
| Area Covered | 380m² production floor |
| ATP Result | 8-31 RLU post-cleaning (threshold: 50 RLU) |
Could This Work for Your Production Facility?
Food-safe drainage rubber matting is available with compound certification documentation for HACCP compliance review. Available in roll format cut to your production floor dimensions, with drainage hole sizing and spacing appropriate for your cleaning protocol.
Rubber Matting Direct can provide material safety data sheets, compound certification, and physical samples for your food safety team's review before ordering. Trade accounts available for food manufacturers and facilities management contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rubber matting is food-safe and HACCP-compliant?
Food-safe rubber matting for HACCP environments is typically made from FDA-approved EPDM or food-grade nitrile rubber compounds. The matting should be smooth-edge (no fabric backing), have drainage holes for wet areas, and withstand the cleaning chemicals and temperatures used in the facility.
What bacterial testing is required for food factory floor matting?
Food factories carry out ATP (adenosine triphosphate) swab testing of floor surfaces as part of environmental monitoring. Results below 50 RLU are generally considered acceptable. Matting should achieve these levels after standard cleaning procedures.
How often should food factory rubber floor matting be cleaned?
In wet food processing environments, rubber drainage matting is cleaned as part of daily or shift-end cleaning cycles. High-pressure wash-down is standard, with mats lifted and the floor beneath cleaned in weekly or monthly deep-clean procedures.
Can rubber matting be used in high-care food production zones?
Food-grade rubber matting with sealed non-absorbent surfaces can be used in high-care zones provided it meets zone-specific hygiene requirements: food-grade compound certification, cleanability to ATP threshold, and absence of fabric or fibrous components.
What is the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety and how does floor matting relate?
The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety covers manufacturing premises, processes, products, and people. Floor hygiene and slip safety are assessed under the factory environment section. Non-compliant flooring can result in non-conformances that reduce the certification grade.