NEW PRODUCTS CAN BRING NEW RISKS TO YOUR BREWERY

NEW PRODUCTS = NEW RISKS

In our post pandemic times, it has been great to be able to get back out and about again to visit some breweries and meet up with the great people across the industry.

Without a doubt the pandemic has taught us resilience, and this has been tested once again for some and so our thoughts are with those impacted by recent extreme weather events.

We have seen this resilience has prompted many brewers to think outside the box during the pandemic and many have changed their business model through this period as a result. A theme we have identified with a small number of brewers is one worth focusing on from a risk point of view.

From Brewing to Distilling

There are many reasons why it makes sense for brewers to turn to distilling, similar markets, similar equipment required, same ingredients, etc.  However there are some key differences that you need to be aware of and in this article we will focus on the key risk issue, the production and handling of flammable liquids.

The brewing process creates alcohol, but not of a sufficient strength for the product to become flammable. Distillation however, by its very nature, creates flammable liquids. A flammable liquid is defined in the globally harmonized system for classification of chemicals as one with a flashpoint lower than 93 degrees Celsius. A flashpoint is the temperature at which the material will catch alight in the presence of an ignition source. Sufficient vapor is present that the material will catch alight. This is the case for ethanol (alcohol) at room temperature across all parts of Australia.

This risk is a very real one and is the headline topic for the Australian Distillers conference occurring next week in Melbourne. The conference will hear from those involved in the Adams Distillery fire in early 2021.

So what do we need to do to manage these risks?  As always we would encourage a risk based approach, which allows us to implement the level of risk mitigation appropriate for the scale of your operations. There are a few key issues to consider:

1. Hazardous Areas – areas where flammables are handled and stored will need to be defined as specific hazardous areas. In these areas, ignition sources, such as the type of electrical apparatus installed, will need to be strictly controlled.
   
   
2. Storage arrangements will need to consider issues such as ventilation, bunding and fire protection, as defined by AS1940, which will require additional controls for any volumes greater than 0.5L per 1 m2 of floor area of your site.
   
   
3. Control of Ignition Sources – it might sound obvious, but anything from the forklifts you use to the use of portable electrical equipment to the way you manage maintenance contractors may need to be reconsidered.

The starting point should always be a practical risk assessment where the changes being considered are assessed for the level of risk and the necessary controls that may be warranted. Victual would be happy to assist if you need some guidance or help to get started, please feel free to reach out to us at any point in time.