Hot & Under Pressure
To prevent severe thermal burns from boiling wort or hot water washes, brewers should wear heavy-duty boots made of this waterproof material.
What is Rubber (or PVC/Neoprene)?
This highly alkaline chemical is commonly used to dissolve organic soils like protein and resin in kettles, but can cause severe chemical burns to skin.
What is Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide)?
This heavier-than-air gas is a natural byproduct of fermentation and can pool in low areas, posing a severe suffocation hazard.
What is Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)?
Because brewery floors are constantly wet from spray-downs, footwear must feature this specific type of rated sole
What is Slip-Resistant?
Finely ground grain dust suspended in the air inside a mill room creates an environment highly susceptible to this type of catastrophic event.
What is a Dust Explosion?
This mechanical safety device on a bright tank is designed to pop open automatically if internal pressure exceeds safe limits.
What is a Pressure Relief Valve (PRV)?
To protect your eyes and face from chemical splashes during CIP hookups, you should wear safety glasses underneath this protective shield.
What is a Face Shield?
Before entering a bright tank or fermenter for cleaning, this multi-step safety protocol must be performed to isolate energy and gas sources.
What is Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)?
When lifting heavy grain bags or kegs, you should always bend at these joints rather than using your back.
What are the Knees?
To prevent electrical shocks in wet brewing environments, all wall outlets must be equipped with this type of protective interrupter.
What is a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)?
Opening a tri-clamp fitting on a pipe while it is still under pressure can cause this dangerous physical phenomenon, sending heavy metal parts flying.
What is a Line Blowout?
This binder of safety documents must be readily accessible to all brewery staff, detailing the hazards and first-aid steps for every chemical on site.
What is the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) binder?
Because tanks are classified as this type of hazard area, workers must test the atmosphere for oxygen levels before stepping inside.
What is a Confined Space?
These brightly colored guards are installed around moving conveyor chains or belts to prevent fingers or hair from getting caught.
What are Pinch-Point Guards (or Machine Guards)?
This type of specialized electrical equipment must be used in the mill room to ensure sparks cannot escape and ignite grain dust.
What is Explosion-Proof (or Intrinsically Safe)?
This condition occurs when steam meets cold water inside a pipe, causing a violent shockwave that can rupture heavy steel valves.
What is Steam Hammer (or Water Hammer)?
If caustic or acid splashes into a worker’s eyes, they must flush them at an eyewash station for at least this many minutes.
What is 15 minutes?
This is the maximum safe exposure limit (OSHA PEL) for CO₂ over an 8-hour work shift, measured in parts per million.
What is 5,000 ppm?
Constant exposure to the roar of canning lines and keg washers requires the use of PPE rated for NRR, which stands for this.
What is Noise Reduction Rating?
These static-control devices are attached to grain silos and milling equipment to safely bleed off friction-built electricity to the earth.
What are Grounding and Bonding wires?
When venting a fermenter, drawing a vacuum too quickly by cooling it down without venting can cause the heavy steel tank to do this.
What is Implode?
Mixing a chlorine-based sanitizer with an acid cleaner accidentally releases this deadly, choking green gas.
What is Chlorine Gas?
When purging a tank with nitrogen, this life-threatening atmospheric condition is created if the gas displaces too much ambient air.
What is Oxygen Deficiency (or Asphyxiation)?
This common material-handling vehicle causes the most crush injuries in warehousing and requires a formal OSHA certification to operate.
What is a Forklift (or Powered Industrial Truck)?
The "Explosion Pentagon" requires five elements: fuel, oxygen, an ignition source, dispersion, and this final structural requirement.
What is Confinement (or a Confined Space)?