The craft beer industry in BC has been booming in recent years and as craft spirits gain popularity, we're seeing more and more local distilleries opening up operations. With the number of people now employed in craft brewing and distilling facilities, it's important that owners and operators are equipped with the information and resources they need to establish health and safety programs.
There are numerous ways workers can injure themselves in breweries and distilleries. According to WorkSafeBC, most of the injuries are due to handling items that are heavy or awkward to carry ( i.e. grain bags, kegs, hoses, product cases, etc.) There are also some risks that particularly common or unique among these types of operations such as slippery floors, carbon dioxide gas and confined spaces. It's up to employers to maintain safe conditions in their workplace and provide the required training and education for employees to perform their jobs safely.
WorkSafeBC has released a guide to help craft breweries and distilleries establish their own health and safety programs. The Health and Safety for Craft Breweries and Distilleries publication covers:
- common hazards
- how to identify, assess and control risks
- developing safe work procedures
- responding to incidents that do occur
The full guide is available for download here.
Contact a CapriCMW Risk Advisor for further information and resources on insurance and risk management for breweries and distilleries.
