For those working in a craft brewery, and definitely for those who have founded and are running one, it’s usually as much of a labor of love as it is an occupation. Breweries are often the realization of years of dreaming, saving, planning, hobbyist or semi-professional brewing, and business management research, etc. As such, craft breweries are perhaps more likely to be businesses founded by those whose expertise is in the crafting of great lagers, stouts, and ales rather than the managing of a financial enterprise. Fortunately, there are ways to optimize labor efficiency and safety for craft breweries that can save these passionate people a good deal.

Of course it’s never a good thing when employee accidents and injury claims reduce profits. These can even send a business under. For a brewery, however, there seems to be the added tragedy of the culmination of a dream to bring good beer to good people being damaged or destroyed by an accident or injury that might otherwise be avoidable. The good news is that the risks of those injuries and accidents can be reduced considerably, or even nullified, with a bit of judicious planning and implementation of safety features. And sometimes that implementation can be something as simple as investing in a good collapsible hand truck and proper training.

The Right Tools for Personal Load Moving

As mentioned, sometimes the best tools for optimizing safety are as simple as making good use of hand trucks. The aforementioned collapsible hand trucks, also known as convertible hand trucks, are great for brewery work. They can be operated in the traditional vertical position and switched over to a horizontal one (great for sacks of grain, malt, barley, yeast, sugar, etc.) as well as a sort of diagonal position between the two. A sturdy hand truck with a curved frame is perfect for moving kegs and can prove to be a brewer’s best friend, particularly when paired with keg hooks to help keep the keg in place. And if the work involves hauling heavy sacks or kegs up and down stairs (like up to a fermenter), picking up a stair climbing cart or other reliable hand truck will prove a tremendous boon.

Avoiding Slip and Fall Hazards

Trips and falls are the most common source of injuries across virtually every occupation by a considerable margin. That risk is particularly pronounced for craft breweries. The presence of liquids and grains that can serve as a slipping hazard alone significantly increases the risk. Brewery work also often involves working from a height—up and down stairs and on elevated walkways and work platforms, for example. Managing that risk involves a policy of immediate spill cleanup and weekly or monthly walk throughs to ensure that there’s no dangerous clutter or tripping hazards, as well as installing handrails and slip-resistant tape or tread on stairs and walkways.

Vehicle Safety

Depending on the size of the brewery, there’s a good chance that forklifts and other powered equipment will be operating in the workspace. Vehicle injuries are among both the most common and the most serious of workplace injuries. Given this, require that anyone who operates any powered machinery is fully trained on and licensed for use of that machine. And don’t assume skill-crossover. Someone being proficient on one vehicle or machine doesn’t mean that skill translates to other vehicles or equipment, even if they may seem similar. Ensure that employees are fully trained in vehicle safety, including the risks associated with getting in and out of vehicles, with intermittent retraining to keep safety top of mind.

About Magline

Magliner products are so trusted and valued in the material handling industry that many of those working in the business refer to all hand trucks as “Magliners.” As indicative of Magliners’ quality as that may be, the fact is: There’s only one Magline. And for over 70 years, Magline has been designing and manufacturing the most reliable, sturdiest, and most trustworthy material handling equipment available. Their lifting and transportation tools and solutions also include more specialized equipment, like stair climbing carts, appliance hand trucks, and their always-dependable LiftPlus hand lift truck line. If you consider efficiency, growth, and success as priorities for your business, choose Magliners.

To learn more about Magliner hand trucks and other material handling products, visit Magliner.com

Original Source: https://bit.ly/2YRF7Lb