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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Suggests Improved Brewery Safety

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Damon Scott started homebrewing while finishing a degree in chemistry from Hanover College, In. That unofficial ‘independent research’ led to a lightbulb moment and a move to Colorado to work as a brewer. In the following ten years, Damon managed brewing operations ranging from 200 to nearly 10,000 bbls/year and experienced first-hand the challenges craft brewers face daily. In 2010, he attended Heriot-Watt University and received an MSc in Brewing and Distilling. As technical brewing projects coordinator for the Brewers Association, Damon works with the technical committee to facilitate the development of best practice guidance for small and independent craft brewers.

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released 2015 data for occupational injuries and illnesses. On the whole, the nation’s workforce reduced non-fatal injuries and illnesses by 48,000 incidents compared to 2014, despite an increase in hours worked in 2015. The overall rate of cases, three per 100,000 hours worked, was down from 3.2 in 2014 and 4.4 just 10 years ago.

The brewing industry, which saw its rate of cases jump up to 5.3 in 2014, fell back below the ten-year average (4.2) to 3.9 cases per 100,000 hours worked in 2015.

“We are encouraged by the latest BLS injury data for breweries,” said Paul Gatza, director at the Brewers Association. “The Brewers Association urges all brewers and owners to foster robust safety cultures and continue to apply downward pressure on this important metric.”

The Brewers Association has been actively promoting safety and developing helpful educational resources through the safety subcommittee. “We can certainly achieve a higher degree of safety as an industry,” said Technical Brewing Projects Manager Chuck Skypeck, adding, “Many brewers have yet to discover the free training videos and best management practices documents available at BrewersAssociation.org.”

The lowest injury and illness on record for breweries in the U.S. was 3.6 recorded in 2009. Twenty years ago the recordable rate for breweries was 12.0 cases, so it is clear that progress is being achieved.