Unopened beverages waiting for the lunch break (Photo: Jan Thomas)

Every once in a while our site inspections disclose a situation that really isn’t addressed by OSHA but falls into the “common sense” category of safety rules (as well as running counter to many employers’ clearly stated employment policies). Drinking on the job or before you go on duty is one of those common sense rules.  I can always tell when my son-in-law is going to be on duty in 24 hours – he declines my offer of a beer.

But, is a beer at lunch while on the job really that out of line?  I clearly remember my shock 25 years ago when I conducted an OSHA inspection of an international brewer’s operations and discovered large coolers filled with iced bottled products in the break room.  All of the workers at this factory and warehouse – including the forklift operators – were allowed to have a cool one when on break. They were even allowed to take home a 6-pack at the end of their shift.  I was told this was part of the brewers’ tradition.  That tradition stopped, at least in the U.S.

I’m also very aware that other parts of the world – and probably where these workers migrated from – consider a bit of wine or beer totally normal; it’s maybe safer to drink than the local water.

I’m not defending drinking on the job; I just like to figure out where these dangerous behaviors come from. Then I can better talk to workers about safety—and why we need to change their behavior, even when it’s a time-honored tradition.