The annual Bureau of Labor Statistics injury and illness data for the 2017 calendar year have been released. Tracking the total recordable injuries and illnesses (RIIs) year over year is one method used to help industries understand their own safety trends. The news for breweries is very encouraging. Brewery RIIs fell 22.5% from the previous year, reaching a record low, and continuing a downward trend since 2014. “Breweries averaged a rate of 3.1 RIIs per 50 full-time workers, bringing us close to the national average for all industries and besting the average of all manufacturers, which is at 3.5,” reports Brewers Association (BA) Safety Ambassador Matt Stinchfield. “With continued emphasis on education, I am convinced we can drive our rate even lower.”
Moreover, breweries showed the lowest RII rate of all beverage manufacturers. The category includes manufacturers of beer, wine, spirits, water, soda, and ice.
22.5%
Rate brewery RIIs fell in 2017
3.1
Average rate of brewery RIIs per 50 full-time workers in 2017
3.5
Average RII rate for all manufacturers in 2017
According to Larry Horwitz, an Ohio-based brewmaster and chair of the BA Safety subcommittee, “The top down focus of the Brewers Association is clearly seen here. The Safety Subcommittee has supported us in producing valuable free training resources for all breweries.”
“While I am personally thrilled with the injury rate reduction, I’m not that surprised,” Horwitz continued, “Considering all the hard work the subcommittee has put in for over five years, it was only a matter of time.”
The BA’s catalog of safety resources, including the Online Brewery Safety Training, are available on our website for free. BA Safety Ambassador Matt Stinchfield can be contacted with specific questions at safetyambassador@brewersassociation.org.
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