Craft beer enthusiasts love nothing more than a cold, hoppy IPA on a warm afternoon. Microbreweries often specialize in niche brown ales, stouts, porters, lagers, and IPAs that are rich in unique flavor. Part of the recipe needed to create these select brews involves a process called “dry hopping.”

This centuries-old method of augmenting taste and aroma involves adding hops after the initial boil. While customers enjoy the final products, workers need to mitigate brewery hazards by wearing dry hopping safety clothing.

Without a complete inventory of dry hopping protective clothing, dedicated staff members are placed at unnecessary risk. And brewery owners could face significant fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Dry Hopping Techniques

The dry hopping approach to craft beer takes into account that a great deal of bitterness, flavor, and aroma are lost in what insiders call the “wort.” The wort is essentially the liquid taken from the mashing process.

Rife with important sugars such as maltose and maltotriose used in the fermentation phase, the wort also contains amino acids that work with yeast to create alcohol. The wort also contains proteins that boost beer taste. By adding dry hops, your favorite beers take on a nuanced appeal. These are niche dry hopping techniques used in modern breweries.

  • Dumping: This popular strategy introduces dry hops directly into the fermentation vessel, which is then secured to lock in the flavor-producing process. While this tried-and-true approach has been widely adopted, it does present significant workplace injury risks.

    One of the unfortunate workplace accidents associated with dumping involves a vessel erupting. If the lid is not completely and firmly sealed, the pressure from oxidation can cause it to blow open. Without appropriate dry hopping PPE, workers suffer severe burns from the scalding liquid.
  • Torpedo: Also called the gun, this separate apparatus is deployed to give brewers great control and improve efficiency. The hops are placed in the torpedo gun connected to the main vessel. Using carbon dioxide to minimize interaction with oxygen, the gun is then pressurized.

    The hot liquid flows through the torpedo, gaining flavor and aroma from dry hop interaction. Drawbacks inherent to the torpedo method include increased cost and a designated Clean-in-Place system. Workers can be exposed to contaminants and slip-and-fall dangers while cleaning torpedo guns.
  • Cannon:A cannon is a piece of equipment used to inject dry hops into the beer-making process. Brewers typically use either a top-loading or bottom-loading cannon to infuse dry hops during fermentation.

    Although the hop cannon helps reduce the risk of workplace injuries, it is not necessarily a fail-safe solution. The apparatus has a pressure relief valve designed to reduce the risk of eruptions. Should the valve not function properly, brewery workers risk being caught in what has been described as a hop volcano.

What Hazards Do Workers Face When Dry Hopping?

An article published by Craft Brewing Business highlights six common OSHA violations. The list is so on-point that the safety administration republished it on the OSHA platform. These are the six workplace safety problems that too often put brewery employees in harm’s way.

1: Permit-Required Confined Space Entry

Microbreweries have a habit of placing fermenters, silos, mash tuns and kettles in cramped spaces. People orchestrating the beer-making process face considerable dangers because they are in close proximity to boiling liquids, potentially asphyxiating gases, and slip-and-fall hazards. These tight areas also put tremendous pressure on cleanup crews to carry out hosing, scrubbing, and sterilization responsibilities.

2: General Duty Clause

OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires all employers to ensure a working environment “free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” Breweries have a bad habit of not addressing ergonomic hazards. This holds particularly true when tasks such as lifting sacks, climbing ladders, or moving heavy kegs are involved.

3: Safely Managing Highly Hazardous Chemicals

The safety administration issued a mandate known as the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals standard (29 CFR 1910.119). The regulation outlines the best practices for mitigating the dangers linked to using highly hazardous chemicals. Breweries have routinely fallen short of the guidance when dealing with these common brewery agents.

  • Sodium Hydroxide
  • Sodium Hypochlorite
  • Potassium Hydroxide
  • Phosphoric Acid
  • Hydrochloric Acid
  • Nitric Acid and Iodine-Based chemical

These chemicals can burn the skin on contact, and some are combustible.

4: Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

The unintended powering up of machinery continues to pose workplace health and safety concerns. OSHA has cited breweries for failing to employ the lockout/tagout (LOTO) technique. This practice disables equipment and prevents the release of energy while workers carry out cleanup, maintenance, and repairs.

5: Communication-Related Hazards

Breweries use wide-reaching commercial-grade chemical agents for cleaning and sanitization. Ammonia ranks among the more commonly used products that sometimes do not get adequately labeled. Not all breweries have a hazardous materials labeling plan, which puts people at risk of making contact with or inhaling compounds that could negatively impact their health.

6: Inadequate Eye and Face Protection

It may not seem obvious, but breweries must ensure workers wear dry hopping protective clothing and face protection when dealing with hot liquids, potential steam releases, and worst-case scenarios such as a hops volcanic eruption. The same holds true for cleaners who use toxic chemicals that can burn the face or damage eyesight.

Brewery owners and safety managers must insist on eye and face PPE or meet the consequences of an OSHA violation. This includes items such as safety glasses or goggles, a face shield, face masks, or even a respirator if necessary.

Recommended Dry Hopping Safety Practices

The dry hopping process exposes workers to a segment of the craft brewing process that presents significant health and safety risks. Businesses can better comply with OSHA mandates and protect valued employees by following these recommendations.

  • Permit Required Confined Spaces: Assess tight areas, have them inspected, and apply for the appropriate licenses. Employees need to undergo specialized confined space safety training.
  • Ergonomics: Employees requiring heavy-lifting training to prevent lower back strains and other injuries. It may be prudent to insist on footwear that protects the toes from hard impacts and provides traction, as well as shoe covering(s) to prevent agents from soaking through.
  • Hazardous Chemicals:OSHA calls for a “thorough, orderly, systematic approach for identifying, evaluating and controlling the hazards of processes involving highly hazardous chemicals.” This holds true for workers involved in the dry hopping, fermenting, and cleanup processes.
  • Energy Hazards: Develop a LOTO program and make sure employees follow it. It’s also prudent to require PPE appropriately-fitting PPE and protective clothing. Should the equipment power up, it’s essential that disposable personal protective clothing or equipment does not become snagged.
  • Personal Protective Clothing: Dry hop protective clothing should include full-body protective clothing that is breathable and chemical resistant. Goggles, face shields, and breathable masks are needed to prevent burns, chemical splashes, or airborne particles from damaging someone’s lungs. Headgear or hoods are essential to protect the head and face, while accessories such as shoe coverings and gloves protect the extremities.

Brewery owners are tasked with investing in the safety of their employees by maintaining an inventory of PPE clothing, accessories, and equipment. International Enviroguard manufactures and distributes a complete line of personal protective clothing that exceeds industry standards.