In brief
The main risks on beverage filling lines come from five sources: glass bottles bursting under pressure and broken glass being picked up by hand, reaching into a running conveyor to clear a jammed bottle, high noise from bottles colliding, constantly wet floors, and CIP cleaning with hot caustic and acid. Filling line safety requires these sources to be addressed station by station along the line.
Filling line safety: flow and hazard map
A beverage filling line consists of machines linked by conveyors, from taking empty bottles off the pallet to palletising the full cases. For filling line safety, the line must first be divided into stations and the specific hazard of each station identified. Although line layouts differ in juice, mineral water and soft drink plants in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, the stations are similar.
| Station | Main hazard | Example control |
|---|---|---|
| Depalletising | Falling bottles and crates, forklift traffic | Separate pedestrian routes, layer holders |
| Bottle washing | Hot caustic solution, steam, broken glass | Enclosed body, interlocked covers, eyewash |
| Bottle filling machine and capping | Bottle bursts, rotating parts, CO₂ | Transparent interlocked guard, cut-resistant gloves |
| Pasteurisation | Hot water and steam, slipping | Insulation, drainage, non-slip floor |
| Labelling | Hot glue, cutting blade | Blade guard, energy isolation |
| Case packing and shrink wrapping | Hot tunnel, entrapment | Interlocked covers, clearance around the tunnel |
| Conveyors | Entrapment, high noise | Guards, speed synchronisation |
Match this table to the flow diagram of your own line. Writing station-based lines in the risk assessment instead of a single line under the heading "filling department" makes it clear to whom and where each control belongs.
Glass bottle bursts and broken glass injuries
In carbonated drinks the bottle is under pressure during filling and after capping. A scratched or defective bottle, a sudden temperature change during washing and pasteurisation, or a wrongly adjusted filling valve can cause a bottle to burst. The fragments of a bursting bottle scatter at high speed; the broken glass injury risk is concentrated on the eyes, face, hands and forearms.
Controls are addressed in this order:
- Guarding: The filling and capping machine is enclosed with transparent, impact-resistant panels. The covers are interlocked; when a cover opens, the machine stops. Bridging covers with tape or wire is the most dangerous habit on the line.
- Bottle quality: Damaged bottles are rejected before they enter the line; temperature transitions in washing and pasteurisation are set according to the manufacturer's values.
- Personal protective equipment: A face shield and cut-resistant gloves are used for every task carried out with the guard open. For selection see our articles on safety goggles and face shields and choosing work gloves.
- Picking up broken glass: Glass is never picked up with bare hands. Brushes, dustpans and long-handled tools are used; broken glass is placed in a closed, puncture-resistant container.
Conveyor jams: reaching into a running line
Bottles frequently fall over or jam at conveyor transfers, star wheels and accumulation tables. The operator's reflex is to reach in and straighten the bottle without stopping the line. Conveyor jam accidents mostly happen during this intervention of a few seconds, at the nip point between chain and sprocket or between star wheel and guide.
- Guard the nip points. Chain return points, sprockets and transfer plates are covered with fixed guards.
- Define short interventions. For frequent, short tasks such as lifting a fallen bottle, the instruction specifies how the line is brought to a safe state (local stop, long-handled tool).
- Isolate energy for longer interventions. Lockout and tagout is applied for format changes, star wheel and guide changes or chain maintenance.
- Keep emergency stops accessible. Emergency stop buttons or pull cords along the line are within easy reach of the operator and are tested at the start of each shift.
For general conveyor controls see our article on conveyor safety. Under Annex III of the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment, conveyors are subject to a periodic inspection once a year unless the standards specify a shorter period.
Filling line noise
On glass bottle lines the main source of filling line noise is bottles colliding with one another on conveyors and accumulation tables. Air knives, vacuum pumps, compressors and shrink tunnel fans add to this.
The Regulation on the Protection of Employees from Noise-Related Risks defines three values:
| Value | Level | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Lower exposure action value | 80 dB(A) | Hearing protection is made available to employees |
| Upper exposure action value | 85 dB(A) | Hearing protection is mandatory, hearing tests are carried out |
| Exposure limit value | 87 dB(A) | Must not be exceeded, taking account of hearing protection |
To determine exposure correctly, we plan noise measurement with authorised laboratories; measurement points should be chosen station by station. Controls start at the source:
- Reduce accumulation: When speed synchronisation between machines is improved, bottles accumulate less and collide less.
- Soften impact surfaces: Plastic coating on guide rails, soft transfer plates.
- Cut air-borne noise: Silenced nozzles on air knives, shutting off blowers left open unnecessarily.
- Separate noisy equipment: Move compressors and vacuum pumps to a separate room.
For detailed methods see our article on reducing noise at source, and for choosing the right protection see choosing hearing protection.
Wet floors, chemical cleaning and CO₂
The floor of a filling hall is almost always wet. Against the risk of slips and falls, sloped floors and adequate drainage, non-slip floor coating, safety shoes with slip-resistant soles and immediate cleaning of spilled product are applied together. The details are in our article on preventing slips, trips and falls.
Hot caustic and acid solutions are used for cleaning lines in place (CIP). There is a risk of splashes when preparing solutions, connecting hoses and taking samples. The personal protective equipment in the safety data sheet (face shield, chemical gloves, apron) is used; the eyewash and safety shower are kept close to the chemical area and in working order. Acid and caustic are never mixed with each other or with chlorinated disinfectants.
On carbonated drink lines, carbon dioxide is used in the carbonator and the filling machine. CO₂ is heavier than air and in a leak can accumulate in pits, channels and enclosed rooms. In Annex 1 of the Regulation on Health and Safety Measures for Working with Chemical Substances, the 8-hour limit value for carbon dioxide is 5000 ppm. Fixed detectors should be installed at low points of the CO₂ tank and filling area, and an evacuation instruction for leaks should be written. Under Annex III, pressurised gas tanks are subject to a periodic inspection once a year unless the standards specify a shorter period.
Health surveillance and training at the line
At stations where the noise measurement shows daily exposure reaching 85 dB(A), employees undergo hearing tests; above 80 dB(A) these may also be arranged on the workplace physician's assessment. The first test should be taken as a baseline at the pre-employment examination; when later tests are compared with this baseline, early hearing loss is noticed. For interpreting the results see our article on audiometry hearing tests. Skin and eye complaints among cleaning staff working with hot caustic and acid, as well as cuts and minor glass injuries, are also tracked in examinations and first aid records.
An employee new to the filling line receives practical induction training at the line on their first day. In this training, the broken glass procedure, the location of emergency stop buttons, why cover interlocks must not be bridged and how to carry out a short intervention are explained by demonstration and by having the employee do them. All line employees should know the first response if glass or chemicals get into the eye; for this you can use our article on first aid for chemical splashes and foreign bodies in the eye on the line noticeboard. Staff working temporarily on the line during seasonal production peaks are not exempt from this training.
Start-of-shift checklist
A short list for the operator and shift supervisor makes it possible to spot problems before production starts:
- Are the filling and capping machine covers closed and are the interlocks working?
- Have the emergency stop buttons and pull cords been tested?
- Are the broken glass pick-up tools and the closed waste container in place?
- Are there enough face shields, cut-resistant gloves and hearing protectors?
- Are the floor drains clear and has spilled product been cleaned up?
- Is the eyewash working and is the CO₂ detector free of faults?
- Is there a fault or maintenance record carried over from the previous shift?
In our OHS specialist and risk assessment services, we assess the filling line station by station, plan noise measurements with authorised laboratories and enter the results in the action plan. For other risks in the food sector see our food page, and for periodic inspection and examination dates see our OHS calendar tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is hearing protection mandatory on a filling line?
When daily exposure reaches the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A), the use of hearing protection is mandatory and hearing tests are carried out. Above 80 dB(A), protection is made available to employees.
Who should pick up broken glass, and how?
Employees defined in the procedure and trained for the task should pick it up. The line is stopped, energy is isolated, and glass is collected with a brush and dustpan and placed in a closed, puncture-resistant container. It is never picked up with bare hands.
Do PET bottle lines have the same risks?
The risk of glass bursts and broken glass is markedly lower on PET lines. Conveyor jams, noise, wet floors, chemical cleaning and CO₂ risks remain largely the same.
Can the guard cover of a filling machine be opened during production?
No. The machine must stop when the cover is opened. If an adjustment or intervention is needed, the machine is brought to a safe state; bridging the interlock must be prohibited and checked.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.