OSHA grant awarded for the development of safety training for the maintenance of draft beer lines
Boulder, Colorado. • October 21, 2020 – The Brewers Association (BA) – the trade association representing small independent American craft brewers – received a grant from the Susan Harwood Training Program through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the US Department of Labor. With this grant, the Brewers Association will develop safety training for the proper cleaning of draft beer lines. Properly cleaned draft beer lines ensure the consistent quality of a beer’s appearance, aroma and flavor.
“While clean beer lines are an integral part of maintaining craft beer quality, understanding how to clean these lines safely is imperative to the health and safety of staff,” said Chuck Skypeck, Technical Manager brewing projects, Brewers Association. “We are honored to receive these funds and put them to use in the industry as it will improve employee safety wherever draft beer is served.”
The $79,725 grant will fund content development, resource production, training and salary compensation for staff involved in the project. The initial training, made possible by the grant, will include distance learning modules to enable students to implement safe and effective practices when cleaning draft beer lines, with an emphasis on assessing hazards, safe work practices and the development of standard operating procedures. The training will be available free of charge to all craft breweries, draft beer retailers, beer distributors, and draft line cleaning businesses in the United States.
“Great tasting beer on tap is only possible with consistent and efficient maintenance and cleaning of the draft system. The chemicals used to thoroughly clean a draft system are strong and can be dangerous. We should never have to trade quality for safety or vice versa,” said Bridget Gauntner, chair of the Brewers Association’s draft beer quality subcommittee. “Receiving this grant to help educate those working in the draft beer industry will help with both safety and quality.”
The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program funds grants to nonprofit organizations, including community and faith groups, employer associations, labor unions, labor-management associations, and colleges and universities. The grants will provide education and training programs to help workers and employers recognize serious workplace hazards and implement injury prevention measures.
“The Safety Subcommittee and the Draft Beer Quality Subcommittee have worked together for a long time,” added Chris Bogdanoff, Co-Chair of the Brewers Association Safety Subcommittee. “This grant underscores the BA’s commitment to safety and quality, and the upcoming training will be an incredibly valuable resource not only for members, but also for the industry as a whole.”
“It was really nice to hear this fantastic news in a pretty crazy and stressful year,” said Rachel Bell, co-chair of the Brewers Association safety subcommittee. “Sales and service personnel are often left out of safety discussions, so I look forward to this collaborative effort that will help us reach a wide audience.”
For more information and resources on draft beer, please visit the Draft Beer Resource Center on the Brewers Association website. To download a free PDF copy or purchase a hard copy of the Draft beer quality manualmeet here.
The Brewers Association, at the time of the initial publication of this 10/2020 document, is funded by a grant of $79,725 in federal funds, which constitutes 100% of the program budget. 0%, or $0 of the program budget, is funded by non-governmental sources.
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the nonprofit trade association dedicated to America’s small, independent brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents more than 5,600 American breweries. The BA Independent Craft Brewer Seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers from small independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the beer world cup®, Great American Oktoberfest®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, FLAVOR™: An American Craft Beer and Dining Experience, Homebrew Con™, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The new brewer® magazines, and Brewers publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the United States. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the vibrant world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and on homebrewing via BAs American Homebrew Association® and free Brewing Guru® mobile app. follow us on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, orientation or marital/family status. The BA complies with the provisions of Executive Order 13672 and relevant rules, regulations and orders of the Secretary of Labor.
