Working Wisely - An Overview of Safety and Environmental Concerns for Distillers

Michael Clancy

Agenda u  Why worry about this stuff? u  Manual Handling & Management

Procedures u  Design Considerations u  HAZOP/ Risk Assessment u  Installation u  Management Procedures u  Product Safety u  Energy u  Water u  Co-Products

Why worry about this stuff? u  Home Safe / Zero Harm

u  Don’t Be Evil

u  CSR

u  YOUR BRAND & REPUTATION u  DON’T END UP DEAD/ IN JAIL/ CLOSED DOWN/

IN DEBT

Main Injuries/Risks u  Main causes of injury

u  Manual handling and lifting u  Slips and trips - half the injuries are from slips (90% on wet floors) and

half from trips u  Being struck by falling objects, e.g. barrels, boxes, equipment u  Falls from height - off ladders, work platforms, stairs and from vehicles u  Machinery - mainly conveyors but also bottling machines, packaging

machines, palletisers etc. u  Exposure to harmful substances - cleaning chemicals, hot liquids u  Transport - especially lift trucks

u  Main occupational ill health risks u  Musculoskeletal injury from heavy manual handling, e.g. of casks, kegs,

crates, sacks and items of plant u  Work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs) from repetitive handling, e.g.

in bottling halls u  Noise induced hearing loss from noisy plant, e.g. milling, casking, bottle

handling, bottling, packaging machinery u  Occupational lung disease and nasal cancer from exposure to grain and

malt dust, hardwood dust in cooperages

Manual Handling u 4 key requirements:

u Avoid if possible

u Reduce – redesign/use aids

u Risk Assess Tasks

u Train relevant staff

Non-fatal workplace injury stats 2015

Injury stat by body part

Design Considerations u Premises

u Equipment

u ATEX/DSEAR

u CO2

u Confined Spaces

u Chemicals

u Automation

Premises u Age and previous use of the premises

u Structural Safety

u Asbestos/Dry Rot/Fungus/Mould?

u Load Bearing Capacity

u Layout u Maintenance u Expansion u Storage

u Accessibility for employees and deliveries u Security- Customs/3rd Party liability u Rivers, Groundwater, SAC, Flood Risk u Proximity to other buildings and residents

u Noise and light restrictions in residential areas

Premises- Design out Risks u Safe access and exit- Humans & Vehicles u Easy to secure u Avoid level changes in process area u Avoid manual handling up a stairs u Free Draining of Floors- slip hazard/hygiene u Good Finishes- easy to keep clean u Good ventilation- Operator health and

hygiene, ATEX u Dust- ATEX and Operator health u Noise- Acoustic housings u Good House keeping

Equipment

u  Reputable Manufacturer- References, visit sites

u  Manage Cooling supply to condensers u  Pressure Relief Devices, Flame Arrestors u  Working at heights

u  Position valves instruments where they can be accessed easily from ground level

u Where items can not be assessed from ground level suitable access means to be provided

u  Avoid trip hazards- e.g. hoses, low pipes u  Avoid repetitive tasks if possible u  Avoid handling hot surfaces

ATEX- Explosion Protection (DSEAR) u  What are the employer’s duties under this Directive?

Requirements to manage fire and explosion risks, and impose some specific requirements, which are described below.

u  Employers and the self-employed must: u  Carry out a risk assessment of any work activities involving flammable

substances. u  Record the findings of the risk assessment in a document called the

explosion protection document. (IRELAND, BUT NOT UK) u  Provide technical or organisational measures so as to reduce the risk of

explosions (as set out in Schedule 2 of the Regulations) u  Provide training to workers who work in places where explosive

atmospheres may occur. u  Classify places (according to Schedule 1 of the Regulations) where

explosive atmosphere may occur into zones and mark the zones where necessary.

u  Select and provide suitable equipment for use in the zones. u  Equipment CE marked and in compliance with

S.I. 83 of 1999 (the ATEX PRODUCT Regulations). u  ATEX Directive1999/92/EC u  ATEX Directive No.94/9/EC

Fire & Explosion Risks u  Vapour from Leaks in transfer pumps, pipes, flexible

hoses, tanks, casks or spills.

u  Dust

u  Ignition Source:

u  Open flames

u  Sparks (static, electrical, and mechanical)

u  Hot surfaces/Radiant Heat

u  Torch cutting and welding

u  Mitigation examples:

u  Don’t leave a still unattended.

u  Ventilation.

u  ABV < Flashpoint.

u  Contain Spills- minimise area of zone

•  The report by the state fire marshal's office says the still at Silver Trail Distillery in Marshall County was neither designed to hold pressure nor equipped with a correct pressure relief valve.

•  All indications are that the event directly involved the over-pressurization of the still with subsequent failure which resulted in it being propelled out the north end of the structure

CO2

u  Confined Spaces, Drains, Pits, Sumps, Vessels, Pub Cellars

u  Important if fermenting on site.

Confined Spaces Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 (UK) and The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2001 (IE)

u  A person shall not carry out work in Confined Spaces if it is reasonably practical that it could be avoided.

u  If the work must be carried out Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment must be carried out prior to the work commencing.

u  A person shall not enter a confined space unless there is a system of work in place that has been planned, organised, performed and maintained so as to render that work safe and without risk to health. E.g. Isolation, Cleaning, Ventilation, Gas Monitoring, Special Tools etc.

u  Anyone entering a confined space must be provided with appropriate information, training and instruction appropriate to the particular characteristics of the proposed work activities.

u  Suitable emergency arrangements have to be made

u  Work Permits

Chemicals u  Caustic/Acid

u  Danger to skin, eyes etc. etc.

u  If manual addition- ALWAYS Add Caustic into Water

u  Can leach into floor/ground and cause issues

u  Materials Safety Data Sheets

u  Eliminate handling where possible

u  PPE

u  Bunded, Segregated Storage

u  Chemical Cabinets

u  Train staff

u  Floor drains suitable for all chemicals

u  Disposal?

Automation u  Elimination of Unsafe Tasks,

Confined Space Issues

u  Ensuring Consistency of Product

u  Ensuring Correct Chemical Dosing for CIP, limit chemical handling

u  Improve Capacity- Cleaning etc.

HAZOP HAZard and OPerability Study

Methodical risk assessment technique

Prevent hazards Safety is top priority Environmental Quality

Varying levels of formality Success relies on the ability of

HAZOP team to predict deviations based on past experiences and general subject matter expertise

HAZOP    TEAM  

HAZOP    Chair  

Designer  

Operators  

H&S    Personnel  

Quality    Personnel  

Any  other  relevant  person  

Hazop - Guidewords

Flow None

More

Less

Misdirected

Discuss/rate on basis of likelihood and severity (rate 1-5, multiply to produce risk matrix if desired)

Guideword Deviation Cause Consequences Safeguards Recommen

dation Responsibil

ity

Risk Assessment A Risk Assessment is systematic process of evaluating the potential risks that may be involved in a projected activity or undertaking

u  How to do a Risk Assessment: Three Basic Steps

u  Step 1 - Identify Hazards

u  Where can people come to harm?

u  Step 2 - Determine the Level of Risk

u  What is the chance people will be harmed and how serious could the injury be?

u  Step 3 - Put in Controls and Inform

Installation

u  Who is in Charge? Who is Insured? u  Can lifts be done safely? Leave to Experts. u  Don’t rush/take risks- Method Statements,

PPE, Trained Personnel etc

Management Procedures u  Management can put a number of procedures in place to

create a safer work environment u  Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s)

u  Glass Breakage u  Spills and Leaks

u  Work Permits u  General Work Permit u  Working at Heights permit u  Electrical Isolation permit u  Confined space permit

u  Lock Out Tag Out Procedures (LOTO) u  Good House Keeping

Product Safety u  Hygiene - run your distillery

like a food factory, especially if making <40% abv products.

u  Appropriate Storage for Botanicals.

u  Distillation- ensure distiller trained/systems in place to prevent excess methanol in product.

u  Botanicals- be careful what you add, and what strength

u  Where are you foraging?

u  Tamper Proof Bottles.

For More Information

u  ATEX/Risk Assessment/HAZOP/Layout/Process Design- Good Process Engineering Company

u  Safety Statement, Accident Procedures, Manual Handling etc.- Local Safety Consultant

u  Project H&S Management- Trained Safety Personnel & Safety File.

u  Accidents DO happen

Energy Efficient Design

Energy/Utilities u  Steam/Hot Water

u  Have you designed for heat recovery?

u  Is there sufficient turndown?

u Cooling system u  Appropriate for location?

u  In appropriate location on site?

u  Is there cooling water available?

u  Are there heat recovery opportunities?

u Electrical u  Equipment selection, Sizing

u  Design for potential expansion but don’t overestimate MIC

u  Steam v Electrical heating for Stills

u Need to be able to maintain as well

Water Use u  How Much Water for Product?

u  Product Water- is your supply suitable?

u  Cooling Water- recycle if possible

u  COGS

u  Water – Energy Demand & Cost u  Procure, Treat, Pump, Heat, Cool, Treat

u  Water Stress/Risk u  Is Water Recovery an option?

Co-Products u  Spent Botanicals

u Gin Tails

u Potentially promising source of Polyphenols, other compounds

u Manage Carefully- don’t pollute, be careful if feeding to animals (FEMAS)

u  Spent Grain & Barley Pot Ale- Protein Rich animal feed.

PUReOPE Skid

Contact Us: We are 100% independent, highly experienced and specialise

in the brewing, distilling and beverage industry.

Over 300 man years of experience in-house. 

CONTACT +353 1 296 0022 www.fdt.ie

Michael Clancy – michael.clancy@fdt.ie