Soft Drink Canning Process.

In most established markets around the world, soft drinks now rank first among manufactured
beverages, surpassing even milk and coffee in terms of per capita consumption.

Including ready-to-drink, packaged products and bulk mixes for fountain dispensing, soft drinks are
available in almost every conceivable size and flavor and in virtually every channel of retail
distribution. Complementing this universal availability, much of the soft drink category's growth can
be attributed to convenient packaging. As consumers have become increasingly mobile, they have
opted for easier-to-carry packaged goods. With the advent of the aluminum can and, more recently, the
resealable plastic bottle, soft drink packaging has become lighter and more portable.

Stringent quality-control standards and state-of-the-art water treatment processes also have afforded
the soft drink industry a high degree of confidence regarding product purity. Moreover, the
manufacturing or bottling plants that produce soft drinks have evolved into highly mechanized,
efficient and spotlessly clean food-processing facilities.

As early as the 1960s, most bottlers were producing beverages through machinery that ran at 150
bottles per minute. As product demand has continued to skyrocket, soft drink manufacturers have
shifted to faster machinery. Thanks to advances in production technology, filling lines now are able to
run in excess of 1,200 containers per minute, with minimal downtime except for product or flavour
changes. This highly automated environment has allowed soft drink manufacturers to reduce the
number of employees required to operate the lines (see figure 1). Still, as production efficiencies have
risen dramatically, plant safety has remained an ever-important consideration.

Figure 1: Control panel in an automated soft drink plant in Novosibirsk, Russia

Soft drink bottling or manufacturing involves five major processes, each with its
own safety issues that must be evaluated and controlled:

1. Treating water
2. Compounding ingredients
3. Carbonating product
4. Filling product
5. Packaging.

See figure 2.

Figure 2: Flow chart of basic bottling operations

Soft drink manufacturing starts with water, which is treated and cleansed to meet exacting quality-
control standards, usually exceeding the quality of the local water supply. This process is critical to
achieving high product quality and consistent taste profiles.

As ingredients are being compounded, the treated water is piped into large, stainless-steel tanks. This is
the stage at which various ingredients are added and mixed. Diet beverages are mixed with artificial,
non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame or saccharin, whereas regularly sweetened drinks typically
use liquid sugars like fructose or sucrose. It is during this stage of the production process that food
coloring may be added. Flavored, sparkling waters receive the desired flavoring at this stage, while
plain waters are stored in the mixing tanks until the filling line calls for them. It is common for bottling
companies to purchase concentrate from other firms.

In order for carbonation (absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2)) to occur, soft drinks are cooled using
large, ammonia-based refrigeration systems. This is what gives carbonated products their effervescence
and texture. CO2 is stored in a liquid state and piped into carbonation units as needed. This process can
be manipulated to control the required rate of beverage absorption. Depending upon the product, soft
drinks may contain from 15 to 75 psi of CO2. Fruit-flavored soft drinks tend to have less carbonation
than colas or sparkling water. Once carbonated, the product is ready to be dispensed into bottles and
cans.

The filling room usually is separated from the rest of the facility, protecting open product from any
possible contaminants. Again, the highly automated filling operation requires a minimal number of
personnel. See figure 3. Filling room operators monitor the equipment for efficiency, adding bulk lids
or caps to the capping operation as necessary. Empty bottles and cans are transported automatically to
the filling machine via bulk material-handling equipment.

Figure 3: Soft drink canning line showing filling operations

Stringent quality-control procedures are followed throughout the production process.
Technicians measure many variables, including CO2, sugar content and taste, to ensure that
finished drinks meet required quality standards.

Packaging is the last stage prior to warehousing and delivery. This process also has become
highly automated. Meeting various marketplace requirements, bottles or cans enter the
packaging machinery and may be wrapped with cardboard to form cases or placed into
reusable plastic trays or shells. The packaged products then enter a palletizing machine,
which automatically stacks them onto pallets. (See figure 4.) Next, the loaded pallets are
moved-typically via fork-lift-to a warehouse, where they are stored.

Hazard Prevention

Lifting-related injuries-especially to employees' backs and shoulders-are not uncommon in

the beverage business. While many technological advances have been made in material
handling over the years, the industry continues to seek safer, more efficient ways to move
heavy product.

Certainly, employees must be provided with the proper training on safe work practices.
Injuries also can be minimized by limiting exposure to lifting through enhanced work-station
design. Adjustable tables can be used to raise or lower material to waist level, for example, so
that employees do not have to bend and lift as much. In this manner, most weight-related
stress is transferred to a piece of equipment instead of the human body. All beverage
manufacturers should implement ergonomics programmes that identify work-related hazards
and minimize the risks-either through modification or by developing better equipment. A
reasonable means to that end is job rotation, which reduces employee exposure to high-risk
tasks.

The use of machine guarding is another critical component of safe beverage manufacturing. Equipment
such as fillers and conveyors move at high speeds and, if left unguarded, could snag employee clothing
or body parts, causing potentially severe injuries. Conveyors, pulleys, gears and spindles must have
appropriate covers to prevent employee contact. Overhead conveyors can create an additional hazard
of falling cases. Netting or wire-mesh screens should be installed to protect against this danger.
Maintenance programmes should dictate that all guarding which is removed for repair be replaced as
soon as repair work is completed.
Fiure 4: Eight-packs of 2-litre soft drink plastic bottles on the way to an automatic palletizer.

Since wet conditions are prevalent in the filling room, adequate drainage is necessary to keep liquid
from accumulating on nearby walkways. In order to avoid slip-and-fall injuries, proper efforts must be
made to keep floors as dry as possible. While steel-toed shoes usually are not required in the filling
room, slip-resistant soles are highly recommended. Shoes should be selected based on the slip
coefficient of the sole. Additionally, all electrical equipment should be properly grounded and
protected from any moisture. Employees must take precautions to dry the areas around equipment
before any electrical work begins.

Good housekeeping practices and routine inspections also are beneficial in keeping the workplace
hazard-free. By taking these comparatively simple steps, management can be sure that all equipment is
in good operating condition and properly stored. Emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers and
eyewash stations also should be inspected for proper operation.

Although most of the chemicals present in bottling plants are not extremely hazardous, every operation
uses flammable substances, acids, caustics, corrosives and oxidants. Appropriate work practices should
be developed so employees know how to work safely with these chemicals. They must be taught how
properly to store, handle and dispose of the chemicals and how to wear protective gear. Training
should cover the location and operation of emergency response equipment. Eyewash stations and
showers can minimize injury to anyone who is accidentally exposed to a hazardous chemical.

It also is necessary to install equipment such as chemical booms and dykes, as well as absorbent
material, to be used in the event of a spill. Properly designed hazardous chemical storage facilities will
minimize the risk of employee injury, too. Flammables should be separated from corrosives and
oxidants.
The large tanks used for mixing ingredients, which need to be entered and cleaned routinely, are
considered confined spaces.

Mechanized equipment has become increasingly complex, often controlled by remote computers,
pneumatic lines or even gravity. Employees must be sure that this equipment has been de-energized
before it is serviced. Proper de-energizing procedures must be developed to guarantee the safety of
those who maintain and repair this equipment. Energy must be shut off and locked out at its source so
that the unit being serviced cannot be accidentally energized, causing potentially fatal injuries to
service employees or nearby line operators.

Safety training and written de-energizing procedures are critical for each piece of equipment.
Emergency stop switches should be strategically placed on all equipment. Interlocked safety devices
are used to stop the equipment automatically when doors are opened or light beams are interrupted.
Employees must be informed, however, that these devices cannot be relied upon to completely de-
energize the equipment, but only to stop it in an emergency. Emergency stop switches cannot take the
place of a proven de-energizing procedure for equipment maintenance.

Chlorine, which is used in the water treatment area, could be hazardous in the event of an accidental
release. Chlorine typically comes in steel cylinders, which should be stored in an isolated, well-
ventilated area and secured from tipping. Employees should be trained to follow safe cylinder-
changing procedures. They also should be taught how to take quick, decisive action if an accidental
release of chlorine occurs. In the late 1990s new chlorine compounds are gradually replacing the need
for chlorine gas. Although still hazardous, these compounds are much safer to handle than gas.

Ammonia is used as a refrigerant in bottling operations. Typically, large ammonia systems can create a
health hazard in the event of a leak or a spill. Bottling facilities should develop emergency response
procedures to identify the responsibilities of involved employees. Those who are required to respond to
such an emergency must be trained in spill response and respirator use. In the event of a leak or spill,
respirators should be immediately available, and all non-essential personnel evacuated to safe areas
until the situation is controlled.

CO2, which is used in the filling operation, also can create health concerns. If filling rooms and
adjacent work areas are not adequately ventilated, CO2 accumulation can displace oxygen in
employees' breathing zones. Facilities should be monitored regularly for elevated C02 levels and, if
they are detected, ventilation systems should be inspected to determine the cause for this occurence.
Additional ventilation may be required to correct the situation.

Technological advances have made available better sound-absorption material for insulating or
muffling motors and gears in most equipment. Still, given the function and size of filling equipment,
noise levels generally exceed 90 dBA in this area. Employees who are exposed to this level of noise
for an 8-hour weighted average must be protected. Good hearing protection programmes should
include research on better ways to control noise; employee education on related health effects; personal
noise protection; and training on how to use hearing protection devices, the wearing of which must be
enforced in high-noise areas. Employee hearing must be routinely checked.
Fork-lifts are operated throughout the bottling plant and their safe use is imperative. In addition to
demonstrating their driving skills, potential operators must understand fork-lift safety principles.
Licenses are commonly issued to show that a minimum level of competency has been achieved. Fork-
lift safety programmes should include a pre-use inspection process, whereby the vehicles are checked
to ensure that all safety equipment is in place and working. Any deficient conditions should be
immediately reported and corrected. Gas or liquid petroleum (LP) fork-lifts generate carbon monoxide
as a by-product of combustion. Such emissions can be minimized by keeping the fork-lift engines
tuned to manufacturers' specifications.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is common throughout the bottling facility. Filling-room
employees wear eye and ear protection. Sanitation crews wear face, hand and foot protection that is
appropriate for the chemicals they are exposed to. While slip-resistant shoes are recommended
throughout the plant, maintenance employees should also have the added protection of steel-toed
shoes. The key to a good PPE programme is to identify and evaluate the potential hazards associated
with each job and to determine whether those hazards can be eliminated through engineering changes.
If not, PPE must be selected to address the specific hazard at hand.

Management's role is critical in identifying hazards and developing practices and procedures to
minimize them in the workplace. Once developed, these practices and procedures must be
communicated to employees so that they can perform their jobs safely.

As plant technology continues to advance-providing better equipment, new guards and protective
devices-soft drink bottlers will have even more ways to maintain the safety of their workforce.