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Massachusetts Brewers Guild Announces OSHA Alliance

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Acacia serves as Brewers Guilds Manager on the Brewers Association Government Affairs team. Acacia's focus is on supporting organizational development of small non-profit U.S. state and regional brewers trade associations (also known as brewers guilds). Currently based out of Missoula, Montana, Acacia’s roles include crisscrossing the country participating in guild member and board meetings, climbing Capitol Hill, contributing to various national and international beer conferences, attending association management and regulatory conferences, and of course, reveling at beer festivals nation-wide.

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Just announced, the OSHA offices in Massachusetts have formed an alliance with the Massachusetts Brewers Guild (MBG).

Katie Stincheon, MBG executive director shares, “The MBG is committed to worker safety and health and to preventing workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. One of our major initiatives for the coming year will be to provide more safety resources and training opportunities to members.”

“Communication will serve as a two-way street between OSHA and the MBG, with knowledge sharing and training taking place on both sides.”

Katie Stincheon, Massachusetts Brewers Guild

To accomplish this goal, the MBG has officially formed an alliance with OSHA to foster a collaborative relationship and provide MBG members with information and guidance that will help reduce and prevent exposure to hazards during brewing, fermenting, packaging, and the delivery of craft beer.

“Communication will serve as a two-way street between OSHA and the MBG, with knowledge sharing and training taking place on both sides,” says Stincheon. “Our two great organizations will work together to educate one another and share best practices.”

OSHA alliances foster a collaborative relationship that provides the brewing industry with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help protect the health and safety of their workers. 

Safety is paramount at every stage of the brewing process. The Brewers Association (BA) offers many resources that guide brewers through recognizing the hazards in their breweries, finding ways to prevent accidents, promoting safe workplaces, and complying with OSHA regulations before the inspector shows up. 

“This program will reduce and prevent exposure to hazards during brewing, fermenting, packaging, and delivery of beer,” said Chris Bogdanoff, Brewers Association Safety Subcommittee chair. “Alliances advance one of the Brewers Association’s core values: prioritizing safety and the climate to support it.”

“Everyone in our industry feels it personally whenever a brewer is hurt or sickened. The end game is when workplace injuries are almost unheard of.”

Matt Stinchfield, Brewers Association Safety Ambassador

“This alliance will drive injury rates downward, while increasing regulatory compliance,” said BA Safety Ambassador Matt Stinchfield. “The latest data suggest that brewing is among the safest of the beverage manufacturing industries. But we do not want to stop there. Everyone in our industry feels it personally whenever a brewer is hurt or sickened. The end game is when workplace injuries are almost unheard of.”