I am often asked for advice regarding this and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996 (EPS) brought into UK legislation the ATEX directive (2014/34/EU). The regulations state “new equipment supplied for use in places where an explosive atmosphere may occur must meet the requirements of EPS whatever its source.” Suitability may be determined by hazardous area classification,

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 is the UK’s implementation of the European Union’s Directives on Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX 153 and ATEX 114) which are derived from IEC 60079 International Standards for Explosive Atmospheres that has also been implemented without national variation in many other countries including Japan, Brazil and Australia. DSEAR is intended to protect not only employees at the workplace, but also other persons on sit

Distilling and blending spirits involves a multitude of different occupational risks, from barrel handling to slips and falls. One of the more unique hazards compared to other FMCG businesses is the processing and storage of flammable substances which can result in workers and members of the public being hurt. In order to generate a healthy and safe industry and maintain a positive reputation, it is vital that business leadership takes the necessary steps to manage risks and

My ego wants nothing more than to venerate the picture of the lone figure crafting innovative libations like some maverick radical of mixological creativity. But it probably isn’t something that interests a real brewer or distiller in the slightest, those who’ve truly cut their teeth know that running a production process like a metronome day-in day-out is far more difficult than the exercise of concocting a recipe. I believe that this over romanticised image of what mastery

I’m an adherent of data driven decision making in the belief that anything can be measured. So, I wanted to write about project management and how a clearly defined scope during the planning stage of projects, coupled with performance analysis and stakeholder feedback at the end can drive continuous improvement. Most leadership teams fundamentally understand this already, but some skip the first and last parts of a project life cycle due to resource constraints or, worse, pol

While it certainly isn’t as glamorous as marketing or as cuddly as culture safety should be top of the priority list but often isn’t given enough consideration before getting into producing spirits. An understanding of compliance with legislation often takes a back seat rather than being fully investigated before construction is started and equipment is purchased, and even commissioning and operating. The thing about it is unlike every other direction you may choose to lead a

Different historic styles of beer and whisky are associated with different cities and regions throughout Europe. This is because different places traditionally would have most likely used local malt but would also have been constrained to a certain extent by the profile of the water supply available to them. The water of Pilsen and Munich is soft and low in salts making it ideal for brewing pale crisp lagers. Dortmund has a lot of minerals in its water and so beers made here