Expanding Your Brewery in 2026? Don’t Overlook Safety

Nearly all breweries are founded with love and enthusiasm, but as you gain success and begin to grow your business, new risks arise. One of the first things that, unfortunately, gets left behind in times of expansion is workplace safety. If you are expanding in 2026, this post is for you.

The true risk of growth

You begin on a small scale, and therefore, your machinery is not very complicated. However, when you become an adult, you will encounter heavy machinery, which includes high amounts of danger, and adherence to the safety guidelines will be more crucial than ever before to you as you look to safeguard not only your business but also your employees.

It is not only that the equipment will change, but also your team. Expansion also implies the recruitment of new workers, who may be less experienced, and the chances of accidents are extremely high in case they are not trained accordingly. The tighter standards also go hand in hand with bigger breweries, and failure to comply may result in harsher penalty which will adversely affect your company.

Safety should be a major component of your business plan and is the best way to manage this shift. A productive brewery is safe, and protecting your employees contributes to the preservation of the reputation you have worked so hard to establish. Two particular training areas become crucial for your team as you grow.

Forklift certification

As you buy more grain or kegs in bulk, you are likely to abandon hand trucks and use forklifts to move these trucks around. One should remember that the work of driving a car is not similar to working with a forklift. Causing accidents at work is, in fact, one of the major causes of accidents. OSHA mandates that all operators be assessed and trained due to this risk. Giving an employee the keys and hoping for the best is just not enough.

In order to be compliant in San Diego, operators must undergo formal instruction, practical training, and a final evaluation to demonstrate their ability to work safely. Because they are less likely to harm your expensive product, the forklift itself, or your facility, certified drivers are a huge asset to your company. This guarantees uninterrupted operations and reduces your maintenance expenses.

Rigging

Even though you can hire contractors for the heavy work involving the crane, its safety procedures at ground level are essential for your own staff to be aware of. That’s where Rigger Level 1 training becomes critical. Even if your own staff is not operating the crane, they can be working along with riggers to maneuver equipment into tight areas.

You don’t have to do it alone

You don’t need to be an expert in safety rules, even when you are an expert in beer making/ Fortunately, you do not have to do it alone. If you need to bring your team up to speed, you can find specialist training here. They issue official Rigger Level 1 cards that are valid for five years and provide the mandatory validation for forklift operators. This helps you to focus on successful growth in 2026, knowing that your brewery is secure and in compliance with San Diego legislation.