Cold rooms play an important role in hospitality, catering and food preparation businesses. They can store large quantities of food products, keeping it fresh and ready to use for a long time. They have excellent temperature control allowing for items that need different conditions to be stored effectively.
When correctly installed they are not only efficient and practical, they are also safe to use. Employers have a responsibility to ensure that their workforce is kept as safe as possible while carrying out their duties. When it comes to cold room use there are a few safety considerations that it can be helpful to bear in mind.
Correct installation and maintenance
Perhaps the single most important safety practice with a cold room is ensuring that it’s properly installed and maintained. This is a baseline of cold room safety and if you have any doubts about how your cold room is operating you should call Enviro Chill immediately for a thorough assessment.
Monitor the temperature
The workload should be planned by monitoring the air movement and temperature in all cold work areas. The heavier workloads should be scheduled during the warmer parts of the day. The amount of time that people spend in the coldest parts of the cold room should be limited to what’s strictly necessary.
Equipment and clothing
The appropriate equipment and clothing should be worn by anyone who is working in cold environments. The body should be covered with at least three layers to provide the correct layers of insulation. Ideally, this should include a synthetic base layer next to their skin, a wool or cotton material in the middle, and then a waterproof layer for their outer clothing.
This combination should provide excellent levels of insulation. On their head, they should wear a wool knit cap perhaps under a hard hat to help provide protection and help to reduce heat loss.
Eye and face protection should also be worn. This should be separate from the nose and mouth which should prevent fogging that can cause visibility problems. Gloves should be worn to prevent cold-related handling injuries and to help maintain dexterity.
Proper training and safety practices
Workers should be educated about the symptoms of cold room-related illnesses. Supervisors must also ensure an appropriate rest period for each working schedule. Safety measures can help everyone work more safely and efficiently reduce the risk of cold-related illnesses and other health threats.
Encourage healthy practices
Cold room workers should be encouraged to consume high-calorie food that helps them to maintain energy reserves and body heat. They should also drink warm fluids to raise their body temperature and to stay hydrated.
Flexible cold room installation
Enviro Chill are cold room and refrigeration service experts. We offer chiller and freezer cold room options, from small modular options to large cold room systems for warehouses. We have the expertise and know-how to install and maintain your cold room to the very highest standards of performance and safety.
Whatever your particular requirements we can find the perfect solution for you. For more information call our sales staff on 0151 268 1854 or contact us online.