Gin Distillery Penalized Following Explosion that Injured Eight Individuals

An Australian gin distillery and winery has been fined $50,000 AUD (£25,000) following an explosion that injured both employees and guests during a “distiller for a day” event. Buller Wines, located in Rutherglen, Victoria, was sentenced in Wodonga Magistrates’ Court on October 30 without a conviction.

The company had previously pleaded guilty to two charges: one for failing to provide sufficient safety information, instruction, and training to employees, and another for not adequately protecting non-employees from health and safety hazards.

The incident took place in April 2022, during a custom gin-making experience held at the company’s Three Chain Road distillery. A 330-liter copper still exploded, launching a fireball that ignited the facility’s floor. Eleven participants were present when the explosion occurred, and eight people were injured, including two employees and six guests. One guest was hospitalized and treated for burns on his face, forearm, and neck, while others sustained burns to areas like the leg and lower back. Additional injuries included bruising, singed hair, headaches, ear pain, and temporary hearing issues.

According to the court, the explosion resulted from insufficient water in the still, which exposed the heating elements and subsequently ignited the ingredients added by participants. This caused ethanol vapors to ignite.

At the time of the event, the assistant winemaker—who had no prior experience in small-batch distilling—was leading the session for the first time. He had received separate recipe and procedural sheets that listed different quantities for water and ethanol.

The court ruled that Buller Wines had a duty to provide employees with detailed information on the dangers of ethanol ignition if the still’s heating elements were not fully submerged. It was also deemed necessary to instruct and train staff on the precise measurements of ethanol and water, ensure the heating elements were submerged, and implement a process for confirming these steps before turning on the equipment.

Sam Jenkin, WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, emphasized the importance of hazard identification and proper training to maintain a safe working environment.

Image credit: Daily Mail. All rights reserved.