Page 25 - Beverage Master_JuneJuly 2021

Craft Brewery
Brewery & Distillery

The Best Approaches for Safety in

the Brewery and Distillery

By: Alyssa L. Ochs
A s a craft brewer or distiller, it’s easy to get
caught up in the day-to-day operations of
the beverage production process. After all,
from securing supplies to marketing prod-
ucts and everything in between, there’s a lot to
keep in order.

Among the many competing demands, safety
sometimes gets taken for granted or overlooked.
However, it’s essential to always keep safety on the
radar and on the minds of staff. Beverage produc-
ers can benefit from a little refresher on safety to
protect their valuable workers while also maximiz-
ing efficiency and productivity.

Safety Hazards in Breweries & Distilleries

Because of everything involved in the brewing and
distilling processes, many things can go very right
or very wrong depending on how operations are tours and bottle sales in a relaxed environment.
run. Various hazards exist in a beverage produc-
tion facility that workers need to be aware of and “As a chemical engineer with significant global
trained to address. experience, it is my opinion that distillery stills
should never be direct-fired, as that is simply too
Injuries can occur due to lifting, pushing and car- intrinsically unsafe regardless of how large the
rying equipment or because of falls on slippery installed base may be,” he said. “Steam, preferably
floors. Working at tall heights and on ladders can through a vessel jacket or coils, is the best and saf-
cause injuries, while clutter left behind on floors est design, although other heating fluids, such as
and in confined spaces can cause tripping. Carbon circulating nonflammable hot oil, are acceptable.
dioxide gas, boiling liquids, steam, hot surfaces and Electric heating coils are also acceptable but less
not being properly trained to use machinery pose preferable for a number of reasons.”
hazards. Other causes for concern are flammable
chemicals, broken glass and grain dust exposure. On the brewery side of things, Beverage Master
Meanwhile, repetitive movements without good Magazine connected with Chad Gunderson, the
ergonomic tools can put employees at risk, and president, CEO and head of brewing operations at
high noise levels can cause ear damage. Half Brothers Brewing Company in Grand Forks,
North Dakota. Half Brothers is a family-friendly
“All semi-finished and finished products are flam- craft brewery specializing in creating unique beers
mable, so proper engineering and procedural con- with innovative ingredients and techniques in a
trols must be designed, installed and tested, and relaxed gathering spot with a taproom, kitchen, live
all staff trained on these controls and procedures,” music and local art.
said Rich Buoni, founding owner of Pennsylvania
Distilling Company in Malvern, Pennsylvania. When asked about the most important safety con-
Pennsylvania Distilling is a small distillery that pro- cerns that brewery owners and employees should
duces grain-to-glass vodka, whiskey, rum and gin. be aware of, Gunderson said that “how to properly
Its location offers tasting flights, artisan cocktails, handle cleaning chemicals, hot water, hose man-
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