Refrigerated work environments are essential in the meatpacking and poultry processing industries. Processing and transporting meat and poultry products generally require temperatures at or below 9 degrees C. Areas such as chillers and freezers may require temperatures to go as low as 40 degrees C.
What Types of Cold-Related Hazards to Look For
Frost nip and frost bite are common cold related injuries. These injuries occur when actual freezing of the tissue takes place, as a consequence of exposure to extreme cold or contact with extremely cold objects. Wind chill can play an important role in accelerating the frost bite process.
Immersion foot or trench foot results from long, continuous exposure to damp and cold while remaining relatively immobile.
Hypothermia, a more serious health problem, results from prolonged exposure to the cold and physical exertion. Exhaustion sets in and there is a sudden loss of heat from the body, and a coma and death can occur rapidly.
Methods for Reducing and Controlling Exposure to Cold
To prevent cold stress, and reduce the hazards of cold working conditions, workers should wear appropriate clothing. If workers are required to work in chillers or freezers, they should be provided with “freezer suits” along with insulated safety-toed foot wear. Wearing multiple layers of clothing provides better protection than single thick garments. Besides training workers to wear layered clothing, managers also should make sure that:
Cooling equipment and air distribution systems minimize air velocity;
Unit coolers are placed as far away from workers as possible ; and
Wind deflectors and barriers protect workers from the wind chill.