OSHA brewery

5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Loss Control Specialist

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lego insurance

If you have not used a Loss Control Specialist from your insurance company, now is a great time to do so at your brewery.    Most workers’ compensation insurance policies “bake in” costs for a Loss Control Specialist (LCS) to come to your facility annually.  This person can audit your facility for safety issues, help troubleshoot safety problems, and review your safety programs.  The key to using these services is to be prepared and target your areas of concern.   Here are a few tips to get the most out of using your Loss Control Specialist:

Tip #1:  Document your list of questions and issues beforehand

The Loss Control Specialist has questions of their own that they are required to have answered when they arrive.  You may get so caught up in their agenda that you forget to ask your own questions.

Tip #2:  Prep with your LCS ahead of time and have operations ready to go to demonstrate any known issue

If any of your concerns require monitoring equipment, let your LCS know ahead of time.  Many times I would use my LCS for ventilation issues, so having them bring the right equipment like a velometer was helpful.

Tip #3: Ask what other industries are doing as a best practice

Your LCS has experience across a variety of operations and can usually share some creative solutions with you.

Tip #4:  Ask about OSHA trends and new regulations

The LCS should be educated in new regulations coming out that may impact your operations.

Tip #5:  Ask when your insurance policy will be up for renewal

Sometimes, when your policy is up for renewal, the insurance company may try to keep you as a happy customer by allowing the Loss Control Specialist to do extra monitoring or training.  It’s always great to ask.
Remember, your Loss Control Specialist is there to help guide you as a limited resource.  The insurance company provides a set amount of hours for you to utilize an LCS each year. The LCS is not meant to be your sole safety resource, but they definitely carry a wealth of information to help manage risk and improve safety at your brewery.

 

Creating a Safety Training Calendar for Your Brewery

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Spring is around the corner!  It’s a great time of year to look at your safety training to ensure your employees are protected and the brewery is in OSHA compliance.   Talk with your production folks to plan a “safety training calendar” in order to conduct training sessions during lower production cycles of the brewery.  It’s a great best practice to plan training ahead (and who doesn’t like a little bit of structure?).  Here are some applicable OSHA standards to start off but more standards may apply pending on the operation, hazards, and location of your facility:

  • Forklift (Powered Industrial Trucks)*
  • Fall Protection
  • Confined Space*
  • Hazard Communication
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Portable Fire Extinguishers*
  • Lockout/Tagout*
  • Welding and Cutting
  • Machine Guarding
  • Compressed Gases
  • Ladders and Stairways

*Note:  Some standards have a reoccurring assessment or training component even if hazards remain the same such as: portable fire extinguishers (annual training -CFR 1910.157(g)(2)), powered industrial trucks (3 year eval and permit renewal – CFR 1910.178(l)(4)) , confined spaces (annual review of permits/process – CFR 1910.146(d)(14), lockout/tagout (periodic inspection annually – CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i)) etc.

Cheers!

Janet

 

Why Breweries Should Know the Number 312120

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What the heck is the number  312120???  It’s the NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code for breweries. OSHA compiles citation and injury data for different industries using NAICS codes, then makes the data available to the public.

From October 2013 through September 2014, $141,960 in penalties were issued to breweries for OSHA related violations. Now that is a lot of beer down the drain!  Over $100,000 of the penalties issued were violations of the Process Safety Management Standard.

To check OSHA stats such as citation and injury data for breweries (NAICS code: 312120), go to:

https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/index.html

Brewers Association Releases Confined Space Best Management Practices for Breweries

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Confine Space Brewers Association

Kudos to the Brewers Association Safety Subcommittee for releasing “Best Management Practices for The Management of Confined Spaces in Breweries”.  Don’t know what may be a confined space at your brewery?  Look at your fermenters, grain bins, silos, mash tuns, kettles and yeast propagation tanks.  Actually, anything associated with the the word “tank” is a good place to start, or places that creep you out.  Also be sure to look at trailers used for fresh or spent grains.

OSHA confined space standard 29CFR1910.146 defines a confined space as the following (all three criteria must be met in order to be considered a confined space):

  • An area large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and performed assigned work, and
  • Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit and
  • Is not designed for continuous occupancy

The Brewers Association BMP offers some great solutions to eliminate the need to enter confined spaces such as:

– Placing “clean in place” systems to allow cleaning and sanitation without entry

– Conducting inspections with the use of mirrors or video cameras

– Using tools such as long-handled gripper tools and scrubbers

To view the entire Brewers Association’s BMP for the Management of Confined Spaces in Breweries go to:

https://www.brewersassociation.org/best-practices/safety/confined-spaces/

Cheers!

Janet

Make a Rocket Instantly: Compressed Gas Safety

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Rocket Marvel

Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety:  Whether welding or cutting or using CO2, compressed gases must be respected.  Compressed gas cylinders can become rockets due to the high amount of pressure these gases are under in these cylinders.  So give some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
– Secure cylinders at all times
– Cap valves when cylinders are not in use
– Use carts designed for moving cylinders
– Always inspect for dents/damage, send back to the vendor immediately when damage is discovered.

OSHA regulatory requirements for compressed gases are found in several standards.  Training is required and a best practice for employees handling compressed gases.

P.S. If you don’t believe me a cylinder under pressure can become a rocket, watch this video, you’ll get the drift in just a few minutes:

Happy Brew Year!!!- OSHA releases final recordkeeping requirements

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Not sure which new OSHA rules go into action in 2015 and if the rules apply to breweries?  Beginning January 1, 2015, employers (regardless of the number of employees) will be required to report to OSHA within 24 hours all in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and loss of an eye.  If the employee is taken to the hospital but is not admitted, OSHA does not need to be contacted but the injury may need to be documented on the employer’s OSHA log (pending on treatment and work relationship).

The final rule also updates OSHA list of partially exempt industries and industry classification to the North America Industry Classification System (NAICS).  For most breweries the NAICS code is 312120.  OSHA feels under the rule, the agency will be able to to better target enforcement and consultation services.

For more information go to:https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/OSHA3746.pdf

Cheers!
Janet