BBPA issues new cellar safety guide on carbon dioxide leaks

New guidelines have been issued to help licensees work out the level of risk in their cellars in the event of an accidental carbon dioxide leak.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has put together a guidance booklet called Guidance for Licensees on Carbon Dioxide in Cellars to help licensees comply with the Confined Spaces Regulations of 1998.

The legislation means a risk assessment has to be undertaken in all premises to gauge whether steps need to be taken to protect workers from accidental exposure to the gas. The level of risk depends on the size of the cellar and number of gas cylinders present.

The publication has been endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and has been designed to put licensees' minds at ease, according to Dr David Long, the BBPA director of brewing. "Compliance with the regulations is mandatory but our guide will show licensees that compliance need not be as daunting as they imagine," he said.

• To get a copy of the booklet, which costs £5, call 020 7627 9190