Cold protection and cold storage clothing for the profession
Those who work in cold storage, at the fresh food counter or even outdoors in winter are particularly frequently exposed to cold temperatures during their working hours. Temperatures at the fresh food counter can be as low as -10°C, and in the cold store it can even be as low as -49°C.
For protection, employees must wear adequate clothing to protect them from the cold under these conditions. However, cold protection clothing does not always turn out the same and is therefore not equally suitable for every occupational area. There are considerable differences here.
For example, there is protective clothing that is ideally suited for production but cannot be used in a cold store. On the other hand, cold storage clothing is far too warm and clunky for use in production.
Which cold protection clothing actually has to be provided by the employer is decided by a risk assessment. In any case, an occupational safety specialist and the company doctor should be consulted. A risk assessment includes the following three criteria according to which the required optimal protective clothing is selected: The type and extent of the risks that occur or may occur at the workplace, the working conditions and, lastly, the personal constitution of the wearer.
In its online shop, Ehlert offers a diverse selection of clothing for protection against the cold during work. If you have any questions about which cold protection or cold storage clothing is best suited for use in your company, you are welcome to discuss this in more detail with our product range managers. Do not hesitate to contact us in this regard.
The right protective clothing
Protective clothing is available in countless designs for different requirements. Depending on the circumstances, these differ greatly from each other. When buying protective clothing, it is therefore essential to ensure that the correct requirements are met. In contrast to leisure wear, cold storage clothing or cold protection clothing must not only be suitable for everyday use and protect against the cold, but must also meet other requirements in order to be used optimally in the workplace. In addition, the effect of the protective clothing must continue after washing and provide employees with sufficient protection during work.
Optimal protection against the cold through the right combination
Optimal cold protection or cold storage clothing involves more than just a jacket and trousers. In addition, gloves, cold storage hoods, shoes and other clothing items are also available in our range. These are not only necessary so that the employees do not get hypothermia. In addition to hypothermia, which can lead to heart and circulatory problems, frostbite is also possible, particularly in the case of skin contact. Gloves and other clothing items provide a remedy here. In order for employees to be able to carry out their work without restrictions, care should be taken to ensure that the clothing is available in the correct size on the one hand and does not hinder movement during work on the other.
Risk classes and HACCP standards
Cold workplaces include those work environments in which employees spend more than one hour at temperatures below +15°C. Depending on the area of application, the temperatures can vary greatly.
The cold areas provide information about which clothing must be provided and when. Here there are five different areas into which a workstation can be sorted. If this is not provided, the cold can have a negative impact on health. Not only can chronic illnesses develop, but other dangers can also be caused by a cold-induced reduction in blood flow. These include, for example, limitations in mobility and dexterity, which can result in serious injuries.
Therefore, the use of underwear is an integral part of protection against the cold. In order to do justice to this, the garments are manufactured according to special specifications, which are given by risk classes and HACCP standards. The HACCP guidelines apply to all companies in which food is produced, processed or sold.
Relevant for the assessment of the use of the correct clothing is not only the risk of the employee, but also beyond that the possible hygiene risk, which can arise during the work with food. For this assessment, the hygiene risk class is used, which can be divided into three classifications: low hygiene risk, high hygiene risk and highest hygiene risk.
