Recently, we shared a post detailing just a few of the potential benefits of bringing movable racking into the workplace – particularly those where cold rooms are used. Today, we thought we’d follow this up with a few key health and safety tips, which apply to anyone working in or around a cold room.

Given the unique conditions within a walk-in fridge or freezer of any kind, it’s important to be aware of the various unique health and safety considerations, which include the following:

Cold Injury

First of all, prolonged contact with anything of a particularly cold nature can seriously damage the skin. In addition, prolonged exposure to cold temperatures in general can be extremely dangerous for the body as a whole. Along with being provided with all necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), it is also essential to ensure that every member of the workforce is made aware of the importance of limiting their time exposed to colder conditions.

Slips and Trips

In many cold storage environments, it is borderline impossible to completely prevent the occasional build-up of frost, ice and general debris on the floor.  Because of this, everyone must play an active role in keeping an eye out for these kinds of hazards, in order to ensure that they are dealt with as soon as they are identified. For obvious reasons, it is imperative that such spaces only ever be entered and worked in while wearing appropriate footwear.

Manual Exits

Every modern cold storage area will be fitted with a failsafe device on the inside, which is designed to open the door from the inside with no keys or power required.  However, such manual systems are not infallible and will need to be both tested and maintained on a regular basis, to ensure that they actually work. Simply assuming they work can lead to a false sense of security, which could in turn prove to be deadly.

Working in Pairs

Or perhaps not necessarily in pairs, but it is nonetheless a good idea to ensure that there is at least one other person present while you yourself work in a cold storage area. If anything should happen to you – a slip, a blackout, door release broken etc. – while there is nobody else on the premises, you could find yourself in a potentially life threatening situation. If possible, put off any major jobs involving these kinds of areas, until there is at least one other person around.

Shelving Safety

Last but not least, be sure to keep a close eye on the shelving units in the warehouse for signs of both ice build-up and damage in general. It is inevitable that shelving units in such conditions will be exposed to both extreme temperatures and prolonged moisture, which can quickly lead to degradation of key parts. Likewise, the build-up of ice and frost on the surfaces of the shelves can make them unsafe to securely store certain items. The overall safety and condition of your shelving units should be included in a regular audit, carried out by a senior member of staff on a routine basis.