September is National Preparedness Month, and Beall Brewery Insurance wants to remind craft brewery owners and management that this is a great time to put together an emergency kit, establish a system for alerting employees and customers in the event of a disaster, developing a contingency plan to get the brewery up and running in the wake of an emergency, and developing a Brewery Emergency Action Plan.

While all California-based businesses with more than 10 employees must maintain a written Emergency Action Plan, it’s a good idea for any craft brewery to have a Brewery Emergency Action Plan in place, covering all potential emergencies that can be expected at the worksite.

The Brewery Emergency Action Plan should include:

• Brewery emergency escape procedures and mapped escape routes
• Critical operations procedures for employees to follow prior to evacuation
• Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation
• Rescue and medical duties
• Procedures for reporting fires and other brewery emergencies

Train employees regarding the most important points of the Brewery Emergency Action Plan, including:

• The types of brewery emergencies that may occur
• Evacuation procedures
• Alarm systems
• Reporting procedures
• Shutdown procedures

Review the Brewery Emergency Action Plan annually, and update as necessary. Offer refresher training sessions annually, in addition to training new employees when they’re hired.

For more than 30 years, Beall Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., has been helping corporations and individuals protect their most important assets. The agency’s client base covers a spectrum of niche businesses, such as craft breweries, that require specialized insurance packages and knowledge. With offices in California and Indiana, Beall Financial and Insurance Services serves clients nationwide.