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What hazards are refrigeration workers exposed to?Need help related to this topic?
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Learn about the challenges of running a cold storage facility, including implementing modern logistics solutions for the safety of employees.
Running a cold storage facility is a major challenge. Among other things, the company should develop by implementing solutions used in logistics 4.0 (including RFID, Big Data, WMS, multi-channel), while taking into account the specific needs of the industry, related to the flow and storage of perishable goods. With all this in place, the entrepreneur must provide employees with adequate protective measures and safe working conditions.
Depending on the type of goods stored, the temperature in a cold storage facility can range from zero to about ten degrees Celsius or well below zero (these are then freezers designed to store frozen goods). The low temperature puts a lot of strain on the body, which promotes physical exhaustion and increases the risk of accidents. Other aspects of cold storage work also contribute to accidents, including:
The combination of low temperatures and increased humidity makes cold storage workers particularly vulnerable to skin damage (including frostbite), rheumatic diseases and respiratory diseases (such as asthma, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis).
Due to the harsh conditions in the cold store and the associated risks, the company must take special care of employees. Relevant recommendations and legal regulations in this regard are defined, among others:
The primary obligation of the employer is to provide the personnel of the cold storage facility with appropriate work clothing and personal protective equipment. Among other things, employees should be provided with thermal clothing, a hat, gloves and waterproof boots with warm linings. The employer should also provide warm meals and beverages, as well as arrange additional breaks at work.
The main danger for cold storage workers are abnormal environmental conditions, which can lead to occupational diseases and exhaustion. However, it should not be forgotten that a cold storage facility is not only low temperatures. It's also a rush, heavy loads and working at heights. All this, combined with a difficult working environment, contributes to the occurrence of accidents involving pedestrian workers and vehicle and machine operators.
Therefore, the employer should take care to mark places where there are potential hazards - this is stated in the Regulation of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of September 26, 1997. Communication and transport routes should also be properly marked, while good visibility should be ensured at road intersections. If, due to the nature of the plant's work, risks cannot be eliminated, the employer should implement appropriate organizational and technological solutions to protect the health and life of employees.
Demarcation of communication and transport paths is a basic procedure used to improve logistics processes and ensure the safety of employees on the premises of a warehouse facility. Paths are delineated using lines made with paint or tape, while lines of different colors (one color for the same process) can be used for ease of use. Lines made by traditional means are not very practical and can be destroyed, so they can be replaced by laser light. Virtual line is a modern solution that greatly facilitates the marking of communication or transportation paths.
The principle of this system is very simple - you just need to place a laser in the right place, which will emit a beam of intense light on the floor. In this way you can mark out a path or a two-lane corridor intended for pedestrian workers or vehicle traffic. Hazardous areas, parking lots or truck driveways can also be marked with light lines. The laser can display different colored lines (red, blue, green) at different angles, allowing you to adjust the lines to suit your current logistics needs. The system performs well in all lighting conditions, and is also resistant to water and low temperatures (down to -35°C), so it can be successfully used in a refrigerated warehouse.
Linear LED lights are also growing in popularity, allowing the display of lines of any color, including yellow, which is often used to mark paths and transport routes.
A refrigerated warehouse is a warehouse with special conditions. Prolonged exposure to the cold causes workers to lose energy and sag faster. Under such circumstances, it is easy for signs used to mark danger zones to go unnoticed - a plaque on the wall or a sticker on the floor blend in with the surroundings. That's why it's a good idea to replace traditional signs with something that's hard to ignore even when tired.
LED sign projectors at OSH can display any symbol on the floor or wall of a warehouse to warn workers of danger. The system can be equipped with additional features (motion sensor, pulsating light) to make the warning even more effective.
Advantages of using LED projectors in health and safety:
In a cold storage facility, working with heavy loads is a daily occurrence, and crane operators play a key role in warehouse operations (receipt of goods, storage, release of goods). Unfortunately, when handling bulky loads, a pedestrian worker can be crushed. To prevent tragic accidents, it is advisable to use overhead crane warning lights. This is a very simple to use, yet effective system, which consists in marking the stowage area with an intense light. Placed on the crane, the lamp can display light in three colors (red, blue and green) in the form of lines, dots or circles. With this device, other workers are aware that the load is moving and will soon be placed in the marked area.