Unite is here for beer workers

The Unite general union is campaigning for brewers and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to create new minimum safety standards for beer delivery workers, commonly known as draymen.

With the industry striving to deliver more beer with fewer workers, a meeting of 24 senior shop stewards last month drew up a six-point plan to ensure that:

• there is no further expansion of one-man deliveries;

• the dangers of the job are recognised, and efforts are made to eliminate them;

• barrels of more than 11 gallons’ capacity are not stacked on the backs of vehicles;

• kegs are not removed from cellars until completely empty – any beer must be drained off first;

• all beer distribution workers receive medical checks; and

• induction is based on a minimum of four weeks’ training.