Steps to Keep the Brewery ‘Family’ Safe

Identifying primary risks can help protect your brewery team.

There are more breweries operating in the United States now than at any other time in history. Data from the Brewers Association, the trade association representing small and independent American brewers, shows that in 2024, 9,922 breweries provided nearly 197,000 jobs directly at breweries and brewpubs nationwide.

With ever-evolving beer styles, breweries, taprooms and beer gardens, it’s fun to join in the craft brewery revolution. You witness the camaraderie and see that many breweries are like a family where employees are eager to work together to develop new recipes, fulfill the next day’s orders and establish efficiencies to keep up with increasing demand.

Along with the growth and excitement comes the increased need for safety and risk management. No one wants to see a family member suffer a serious injury, so it makes sense to look at some hazards employees face at the brewery on a daily basis.

Common Brewery Hazards and How to Manage Them

Below is a summary of four common violations from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards that affect the industry, with a brief description of what an employer can do to manage each hazard.

Hazard Communication – 1910.1200 – Employees have a right to know about the hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in the brewing operation, including caustics and acids used in sanitation of the brewing process. They should receive safety training on proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and first aid response. They also should have access to all Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals. Dispensed chemicals stored in containers such as spray bottles are subject to additional labeling requirements.

Lock Out Tag Out – 1910.147 – This standard addresses the practices and procedures for disabling machinery or equipment to prevent the release of hazardous energy during maintenance or servicing. Hazardous energy can include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic. Requirements include having a documented program, conducting employee training and identifying the specific equipment covered by this standard. Equipment in a brewery can include milling equipment, pumps, agitators, canning, bottling and packaging equipment.

Confined Space Entry – 1910.146 – Elements of this standard protects employees working in confined spaces, which are defined as a space with limited or restricted entry and exit and not intended for continuous occupancy. A permit entry process is required when the area has hazards of dangerous atmosphere; potential for being engulfed, entrapment or asphyxiation; or any other recognized serious hazard that could jeopardize the safety or health of an employee. Tanks and fermenters used for brewing can contain one or several of these hazards such as oxygen displacement, mechanical agitators, hot surfaces and steam. Among the requirements, employers must:

• define the confined spaces
• designate spaces requiring permitted entry
• create a specific procedure to isolate the hazard associated with the space
• train employees
• create a process to enter the space with safety controls for locking out energy and hazard sources
• provide PPE for employee
• conduct monitoring, rescue and emergency response

Powered Industrial Trucks – 1910.178 – Breweries use forklifts and other mobile equipment to move heavy loads, totes, pallets of products and raw material. All operators must be trained on the equipment they’ll use by a qualified person with necessary experience and knowledge of the specific equipment. Training should be provided prior to operating the equipment and include classroom, skills and operator competency. Operator performance should be documented every three years, and retraining is required following any evidence of poor performance, near miss or accident or if conditions change.

These are only a few of the OSHA standards that apply to hazards that brewers and their employees face daily in their operations. The Occupational Safety and Health Act itself requires employers to provide a safe working environment free of recognized hazards and lists additional requirements for record-keeping and annual injury and illness postings. For additional information, please review the complete list of OSHA violations for this industry.

Protect Your Most Important Asset – Your Employees

To protect employees from these hazards, brewery owners should consider investing in a workers’ compensation policy, especially given the OSHA findings that there are nearly four times more safety violations in craft breweries than at larger ones. This isn’t surprising, as most craft breweries are newer operations, and many were started by homebrewers who may be operating a business for the first time.

Breweries can take advantage of many low- or no-cost options to help assess risks and get started down the road to safety by:

• Asking their insurance carrier or agent to assist with a hazard assessment and make recommendations to prevent injury.
• Reviewing state brewers guilds for safety information. The Brewers Association offers its members a resource hub with free online safety training, as well as information on safe operations in confined spaces, protective clothing and best management practices.

Brewers that work toward a goal of identifying, correcting or mitigating hazards and fostering a proactive approach to safety can create a safer environment for employees and guests. These measures may also help lower costs for workers’ compensation and overall insurance premiums.

This loss control information is advisory only. The author assumes no responsibility for management or control of loss control activities. Not all exposures are identified in this article. Contact your local, independent insurance agent for coverage advice and policy service.