The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) announced the release of its new Visitor Safety & Site Security Best Practices Guide developed by member company experts and available to all industry members.

This guide represents the first major best practice guidance document focused on managing visitor safety and facility security for the distilled spirits industry, DISCUS said in an announcement.

DISCUS will host a free DISCUS Academy webinar on June 11 at 1 p.m. EDT to provide an overview of the guide. The webinar will detail how the guide can help safeguard your operations and employees, and provide critical insights from the DISCUS Safety & Risk Management Committee members and their health and safety teams. Please visit DISCUS Academy to register for the webinar.

“Distilleries are one of the few manufacturing plants that welcome millions of visitors every year to tour facilities during production, taste the products produced and purchase goods on-site,” DISCUS Chief Legal Officer Courtney Armour said in a news release. “Distillery tours and tasting rooms have become an incredibly important part of the visitor experience. This guide was developed by top safety experts as a resource for distilleries large and small to help reduce the likelihood of visitor-related incidents and protect the health and safety of their guests and employees.”

The DISCUS Safety & Risk Management Committee prepared the guide with the purpose of sharing best practices and strategies for improving the safety of guest-related activities on distillery premises and better securing distillery operations from potential incidents.

The guide covers how to begin welcoming guests, establish a security framework, assess risks and vulnerabilities, identify appropriate security measures and respond to visitor incidents. The guide also outlines specific best practices related to tours, gift shops, brand homes, restaurant spaces, event planning and overnight stays.

The Visitor Safety & Site Security Best Practices Guide is free for all DISCUS members. For nonmembers, the cost is $195. For more information and to request a printed copy, visit the DISCUS Publications and Resources page or email [email protected].

NEWS: We are proud to release our new Visitor Safety & Site Security Best Practices Guide developed by member company experts, representing the first major best practice guidance focused on managing visitor safety and facility security for the distilled spirits industry.

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— Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (@DistilledSpirit) May 21, 2025

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