Safety Norms: Brewery, Winery and Craft Beverage Production

1Purpose, Scope, and Safety Principles

These norms apply to everyone who works in or visits production areas, cellars, packaging lines, tasting rooms, patios, tour routes, and delivery zones at a brewery, winery, cidery, distillery, or other craft beverage facility. They cover employees, contractors, seasonal staff, volunteers, and guests on tours. The goal is to prevent injury and illness, protect guests and workers, and keep products safe and compliant.

Three principles guide every rule. First, hazards are controlled in order of effectiveness: eliminate, isolate, engineer out, then use administrative controls and personal protective equipment. Second, mandatory rules are written as must, and recommendations are written as should. Third, no one performs a task without documented training and authorization.

• Mandatory: do not bypass interlocks, guards, pressure relief devices, or emergency stops.
• Mandatory: stop work and report any condition you believe is unsafe.
• Recommended: post a current hazard map at each production and guest entrance.

2Roles, Competence, and Accountability

The owner or general manager holds final accountability for safety. This person provides budget, staffing, and authority for any worker to stop unsafe work. A production or cellar lead manages brewing, fermentation, cleaning, and packaging hazards. A taproom or front-of-house manager is responsible for guest service, age verification, capacity, and accessibility. A designated safety coordinator maintains the hazard register, training matrix, and incident log. In small operations one person may hold several roles, but each role must be named in writing.

Competence means documented training and supervised practice for each task. Tasks such as pressure vessel operation, forklift use, chemical handling, electrical lockout, and refrigeration work require formal training and authorization. Where a jurisdiction requires licensed persons for specific systems, such as refrigeration, boilers, or electrical work, only those licensed persons may perform that work. Verify these requirements with local authorities.

• Every worker must know who can stop a task and how to stop it.
• Keep a posted authorization list for high risk tasks and review it at least annually.
• Contractors must show proof of their training and insurance before starting work on site.

3Hazards and Risk Assessment

Risk is assessed as likelihood combined with severity. Rate each hazard as high, medium, or low before and after controls, and record the rating in the hazard register. High risk tasks require a written procedure and supervisor sign off before work begins. The following hazards are common in this sector and should be included in every facility assessment.

• Carbon dioxide and nitrogen: asphyxiation in cellars, fermentation rooms, kegging areas, and vessel interiors. Rating: high, because low oxygen can occur without warning.
• Ammonia or glycol refrigeration: toxic exposure from leaks and frostbite from cold surfaces. Rating: high for ammonia systems.
• Caustic and acid cleaning chemicals: chemical burns and eye injury during clean-in-place cycles, dosing, and drum transfer. Rating: high.
• Pressurized vessels and transfer hoses: sudden release of liquid or gas during connection, relief valve discharge, or blowdown. Rating: high.
• Hot wort, steam, and kettle surfaces: scalds and burns. Rating: high.
• Mills, augers, pumps, conveyors, bottling and canning lines, and forklifts: crushing, entanglement, and struck-by injuries. Rating: high.
• Wet floors from spills, hoses, and drains: slips and falls. Rating: medium to high.
• Manual handling of kegs, barrels, grain sacks, and cases: strains. Rating: medium.
• Electrical equipment in wet areas: shock and arc hazards. Rating: high.
• Alcohol service and tours: overserving, impaired guests, and unsafe driving after tastings. Rating: high.

4Preventive Controls and Safe Production Practices

Confined spaces such as fermenters, brite tanks, grain bins, and cellars are entered only under a written permit system. Mandatory: test the atmosphere for oxygen and carbon dioxide before entry, ventilate the space, keep a trained attendant outside the entry point, and maintain a documented rescue plan. Never enter a space to rescue a colleague without trained rescuers and proper equipment. Call emergency services instead. Where local rules require a formal entry permit or entry supervisor, follow those requirements first.

Lockout tagout is mandatory before cleaning, clearing jams, or maintaining mills, pumps, conveyors, and packaging equipment. The person doing the work applies a personal lock and tag, verifies zero energy, and removes only their own lock. Guards and interlocks stay in place during operation. Pressure equipment is operated only within its rated limits. Relief valves are never capped or removed, and gauges are checked at the start of each shift.

Chemical handling must follow the approved procedure. Keep current safety data sheets at the point of use. Add acid to water, never water to acid. Label every dilution container with contents, concentration, and hazard warning. Do not mix cleaning or sanitizing chemicals unless manufacturer instructions allow it, because some combinations release toxic gases. Drum and tote transfers use pumps or approved equipment, not manual pouring.

Forklifts and pallet movers are operated only by trained and authorized drivers. Keep aisles clear, observe posted speed limits, and never carry passengers on forks. Keg and case handling uses two person lifts for heavy loads, mechanical aids such as hand trucks, and stacking limits set by the production lead. Kegs are stored upright and secured.

Hot work and steam work require insulated gloves, sleeves, and face protection. Mandatory: no open flame or hot work near flammable cleaning residues or solvent storage without a fire permit. Keep kettles and hot side equipment labeled, and do not leave hoses under pressure unattended.

5Guest Areas, Accessibility, and Hygiene

Tasting rooms, patios, tours, and events have their own hazards. Mandatory: keep guest routes separated from forklift routes and active packaging lines. Use barriers and signage, and assign a guide who knows the emergency exits. Guests must not enter areas with open tanks, hoses, or glass lines. Occupancy limits must follow the posted capacity set under local building and fire codes, verified with the local authority.

Age verification and responsible service are mandatory wherever alcohol is served. Staff check identification using a documented method and refuse service to visibly intoxicated persons. Provide water, food options, and transport information. Do not allow a guest to drive after tasting when staff suspect impairment. Offer rideshare, taxi, or ride arrangement assistance when requested.

Accessibility should be planned, not improvised. Maintain accessible routes, seating, and restrooms consistent with applicable accessibility standards. Offer alternative tour formats, such as a ground level route or a video walkthrough. Ask guests privately about needs before a tour begins. Recommended: provide large print menus and train staff to describe products by ingredients and alcohol content.

Hygiene controls protect both product and guests. Production staff wear clean, dedicated footwear and hair restraints. Hand washing stations are stocked and checked at each shift. Sanitation schedules are logged, and taproom glassware is washed, rinsed, and sanitized using the approved procedure. Any food served must have posted allergen information that is verified by the kitchen lead. Pest control, drains, and floors are inspected on a documented schedule.

• Mandatory: no food or drink in production or cleaning areas.
• Mandatory: post allergen information for any food or non alcoholic beverage served on site.
• Recommended: schedule quiet periods for cleaning when tours and events are not running.

6Equipment, Protective Equipment, Information, and Privacy

Protective equipment is the last line of defense and never replaces engineering controls. Provide and require chemical resistant gloves, splash goggles or face shields for caustic and acid work, slip resistant footwear, hearing protection near mills and packaging lines, and cut resistant gloves for bottle and can handling. Fixed or portable gas detectors with audible alarms are required wherever carbon dioxide or ammonia may accumulate. Test and calibrate them according to manufacturer instructions. Eyewash stations and safety showers must be within reach of chemical handling points and tested on a documented schedule.

Guest and employee information must be protected. Collect only the data needed for age verification, reservations, and consented marketing. Store customer lists, ID records, and payment information in restricted systems with individual logins. Do not write personal details on whiteboards or shared sheets, and do not photograph identity documents. Remove former staff access promptly. Privacy laws and payment card security rules vary by jurisdiction, so verify current obligations with a qualified professional.

• Mandatory: no unsupervised use of equipment that you have not been trained to operate.
• Mandatory: keep ID scan data separate from marketing databases.
• Recommended: use a clear privacy notice at sign up and tasting room entry points.

7Incidents, Emergencies, and Escalation

Report every injury, illness, near miss, spill, chemical exposure, gas alarm, or guest complaint to the shift lead as soon as it is safe to do so. Near misses are investigated the same way as injuries because they show where controls are failing. Mandatory: anyone who suspects low oxygen, an ammonia leak, fire, or a serious injury must leave the area, raise the alarm, and call local emergency services. Do not enter a space to rescue someone unless trained, equipped, and part of the rescue plan.

Emergency readiness requires posted information. Display emergency numbers, the site address with directions for responders, muster points, and shut off locations for water, gas, power, and refrigeration. Place first aid kits and eyewash stations where they are easy to find. Run evacuation and gas release drills at least annually and record the results. Assign a person to meet responders with the site map and chemical inventory.

Escalate to the owner or general manager within the same shift. Serious injuries, hospital visits, and events that may be reportable to a regulator must be escalated immediately. Verify reporting duties with the relevant authority. Preserve evidence such as failed parts, photographs, and witness names, and do not alter equipment until it has been investigated unless doing so prevents further harm.

• Guest injury: provide first aid through trained staff, call emergency services when needed, and record the event.
• Alcohol related incident: stop further service, arrange safe transport, and document the actions taken.
• Chemical exposure: flush with water at eyewash or shower, seek medical care, and provide the safety data sheet.

8Records, Training, Inspection, and Review

Keep training records for each worker. Each record shows the topic, trainer, competency check, and any refresher requirement. Also keep the hazard register, chemical inventory, safety data sheets, maintenance logs, gas detector calibration records, eyewash test records, inspection results, and incident reports. Retain records for the period required by local law, and verify retention rules with a qualified professional.

Supervisors complete a start of shift check of pressure gauges, guards, eyewash stations, gas detectors, and floor conditions. The safety coordinator completes a monthly walkthrough and a full review after any serious incident, equipment change, or new product line. This norms document must be reviewed at least annually and after any change in operations, licensing, or equipment. Corrective actions must have a named owner and a completion step.

• Recommended: hold short safety briefings before busy events and seasonal production runs.
• Recommended: invite staff feedback and review guest comments for safety concerns.
• Mandatory: close each corrective action only after verification by someone other than the person who completed it.

Implementation checklist

• Confirm every confined space has a written permit, a tested atmosphere, and a trained attendant before entry.
• Verify gas detectors and eyewash stations are working and within their test schedule.
• Apply lockout tagout before any maintenance or jam clearing on moving equipment.
• Check that chemical dilution labels and safety data sheets are current and at the point of use.
• Confirm guest routes are separated from forklift and packaging traffic.
• Verify age checks and responsible service procedures are followed at every service point.
• Confirm accessible routes, seating, and restrooms are clear and available.
• Check that emergency numbers, muster points, and shut off locations are posted and visible.
• Confirm guest personal data is collected minimally and stored in restricted systems.
• Record every incident and near miss and assign a named corrective action owner.