Cold Storage Warehouse Operations: Safety Procedures and Hazard Controls

This document outlines critical safety procedures and hazard controls for cold storage warehouse operations. It addresses personal protective equipment (PPE), temperature exposure limits, and emergency response protocols to ensure worker safety in cold environments.

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

A comprehensive hazard identification and risk assessment should be conducted to identify potential hazards associated with cold storage warehouse operations. This includes evaluating the risks associated with cold temperatures, manual handling, equipment operation, and emergency situations.

Hierarchy of Controls

The hierarchy of controls should be implemented to minimize or eliminate hazards in cold storage warehouses. This involves:

Elimination: Reschedule work performed outdoors when temperatures are milder or have workers perform their work in a heat-controlled environment. Do not allow driving or travelling during extreme winter events.

Elimination involves removing the hazard entirely. For example, rescheduling work for milder temperatures.

Substitution: Determining if there are any other options for driving, such as public transit (substation).

Substitution involves replacing a hazardous substance or process with a less hazardous one.

Engineering Controls: Improve heating in work areas. Provide heated shelters for rest and breaks. Use tools and equipment that are designed so they can be safely operated while wearing gloves or other winter clothing. Maintain work vehicles and have snow tires and functioning heaters. Provide radiant heaters at outdoor stations. Provide heated warming shelters such as tents, cabins, or rest rooms. Shield workstations from wind or drafts. Insulate materials such as metal handles on equipment when working in below-freezing conditions.

Engineering controls involve isolating workers from the hazard or implementing physical changes to the workplace to reduce exposure. Examples include improving heating, providing heated shelters, and using insulated tools. It is important to not use unvented portable gas heaters in indoor settings as it can lead to harmful levels of carbon monoxide and other harmful combustion products and is a fire hazard.

Administrative Controls: Use weather surveillance procedures to identify upcoming cold events and to detect the sudden onset of cold events. Have emergency plans and procedures in place to respond to extreme cold events. Train workers on how to identify health effects of cold stress in themselves and others, how to respond, and first-aid procedures, what to do in the event of an emergency caused by extreme cold and winter weather, the pace of work to avoid overheating (sweating) and then cooling and appropriate use of winter weather clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for working in the cold. Have a buddy system so workers can look out for one another and help each other recognize the early symptoms of cold injuries and illnesses. Pace the work to avoid excessive sweating. Allow proper warming areas where workers can change into dry clothes if sweating cannot be avoided. Give new employees enough time to acclimatize to the cold and the protective clothing before assuming a full workload. Provide warm liquids to workers. Schedule work that involves heavy physical activity during warmer parts of the day. Rotate workers on tasks to decrease exposure to cold. If working on board, the schedule shifts away from stormy conditions when workers may fall overboard.

Administrative controls involve implementing policies, procedures, and training to reduce exposure to cold hazards. This includes weather surveillance, emergency plans, worker training, and acclimatization programs. Training must cover not only how to do the job safely but it must also ensure that workers understand the hazards and risks of their job, and the controls in place to protect them. It must also provide them with information on how to protect themselves and co-workers.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide workers with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing for working in the cold. Take into account the temperature, weather conditions (e.g., snow, ice, wind speed, wind chill), the level and duration of the activity being performed, and the job design. Also, make sure workers are equipped with emergency supplies and equipment, especially if they are offsite or are travelling.

PPE is the last line of defense and should be used in conjunction with other control measures. It includes providing appropriate clothing and equipment to protect workers from the cold. The choice of what type of PPE is required must be based on the specific hazard found at the workplace. No matter which type of PPE is used, it is essential to have a complete PPE program in place.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Appropriate PPE is crucial for protecting workers in cold storage warehouses. Key considerations include:

Clothing: Protective clothing is needed for work in cold environments. Clothing should be selected to suit the temperature, weather conditions (e.g., wind speed, rain), the level and duration of activity, and job design. These factors are important to consider so that you can regulate the amount of heat and perspiration you generate while working. If the work pace is too fast or if the type and amount of clothing are not properly selected, excessive sweating may occur. The clothing next to the body will become wet and the insulation value of the clothing will decrease dramatically. This reduction in insulation value increases the risk of cold injuries and illnesses. Clothing should be worn in multiple layers which provide better protection than a single thick garment. The air between layers of clothing provides better insulation than the clothing itself. Having several layers also gives you the option to open or remove a layer before you get too warm and start sweating or to add a layer when you take a break. Layers also allow you to accommodate the level of activity, changing temperatures and weather conditions. Successive outer layers should be larger than the inner layer, otherwise the outermost layer will compress the inner layers and will decrease the insulation properties of the clothing. The inner layer should provide insulation and be able to "wick" moisture away from the skin to help keep it dry. Thermal underwear made from wool, polyester, or polypropylene is suitable for this purpose. Polypropylene wicks perspiration away from the skin. It also keeps the second layer away from the skin. The additional layers of clothing should provide adequate insulation for the weather conditions under which the work is being done. They should also be easy to open or remove before you get too warm to prevent excessive sweating during strenuous activity. Outer jackets should have the means for closing off and opening the waist, neck, and wrists to help control how much heat is retained or given off. Some jackets have netted pockets and vents around the trunk and under the armpits (with zippers or Velcro fasteners) for added ventilation. For work in wet conditions, the outer layer of clothing should be waterproof. If the work area cannot be shielded against wind, an easily removable windbreak garment should be used. Under extremely cold conditions, heated protective clothing should be made available if the work cannot be done on a warmer day. Clothing should be kept clean since dirt fills air cells in fibres of clothing and destroys its insulating ability. Clothing must be dry. Moisture should be kept off clothes by removing snow before entering heated shelters. While the worker is resting in a heated area, perspiration should be allowed to escape by opening the neck, waist, sleeves, and ankle fasteners or by removing outerwear. If the rest area is warm enough it is preferable to take off the outer layer(s) so that the perspiration can evaporate from the clothing. Cotton is not recommended. It tends to get damp or wet quickly and loses its insulating properties. Wool and synthetic fibres, on the other hand, do retain heat when wet.
Gloves: If fine manual dexterity is not required, gloves should be used below 4°C for light work and below -7°C for moderate work. For work below -17°C, mittens should be used.
Footwear: Felt-lined, rubber-bottomed, leather-topped boots with removable felt insoles are best suited for heavy work in cold since leather is porous, allowing the boots to "breathe" and let perspiration evaporate. Leather boots can be "waterproofed" with some products that do not block the pores in the leather. However, if work involves standing in water or slush (e.g., fire fighting, farming), then waterproof boots must be worn. While these protect the feet from getting wet from cold water in the work environment, they also prevent perspiration from escaping. The insulating materials and socks will become wet more quickly than when wearing leather boots and increase the risk of frostbite. When trying on boots before purchase, wear the same type of sock that you would wear at work to ensure a proper fit.
Head Protection: Wear a hat suitable for the conditions, including being able to keep the ears warm. If a hard hat is required, a knit cap or a liner under a hard hat can reduce excessive heat loss. Consult with the hard hat supplier or manufacturer for appropriate liners that do not compromise the protection provided by the hard hat.

Temperature Exposure Limits and Guidelines

While there are no specific regulatory exposure limits for cold temperatures, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) provides recommendations based on the Wind Chill Temperature (WCT) index. The WCT index estimates how cold it feels considering both air temperatures and wind speeds.

The Wind Chill Temperature (WCT) index estimates how cold it feels considering both air temperatures and wind speeds. The WCT table also provides the estimated time it would take a person walking at 3 kilometres per hour to experience freezing of exposed facial skin. Note that if the skin is wet and exposed to wind, the air temperature measurement used to determine the WCT should be 10°C lower than the actual temperature.

Wind Chill	Exposure Risk	Health Concerns	What to Do
0 to -9	Low risk	Slight increase in discomfort	Dress warmly Stay dry
-10 to -27	Moderate risk	Uncomfortable Risk of hypothermia and frostbite if outside for long periods without adequate protection.	Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. Wear a hat, mittens or insulated gloves, a scarf and insulated, waterproof footwear. Stay dry. Keep active
-28 to -39	High Risk: exposed skin can freeze in 10 to 30 minutes	High risk of frostnip or frostbite: Check face and extremities for numbness or whiteness. High risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate clothing or shelter from wind and cold.	Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant Cover exposed skin Wear a hat, mittens or insulated gloves, a scarf, neck tube or face mask and insulated, waterproof footwear Stay dry Keep active
-40 to -47	Very high risk: exposed skin can freeze in 5 to 10 minutes (In sustained	Very high risk of frostbite: Check face and extremities for numbness or whiteness. Very high risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate clothing or shelter from wind and cold.	Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. Cover all exposed skin. Wear a hat, mittens or insulated gloves, a scarf, neck tube or face mask and insulated, waterproof footwear. Stay dry Keep active.
	winds over 50 km/h, frostbite can occur faster than indicated.)
-48 to -54	Severe risk: exposed skin can freeze in 2 to 5 minutes (In sustained winds over 50 km/h, frostbite can occur faster than indicated.)	Severe risk of frostbite: Check face and extremities frequently for numbness or whiteness. Severe risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate clothing or shelter from wind and cold.	Be careful. Dress very warmly in layers of clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. Cover all exposed skin Wear a hat, mittens or insulated gloves, a scarf, neck tube or face mask and insulated, waterproof footwear. Be ready to cut short or cancel outdoor activities. Stay dry. Keep active.
-55 and colder	Extreme risk: exposed skin can freeze in less than 2 minutes	DANGER! Outdoor conditions are hazardous.	Stay indoors.

Emergency Response Protocols

Emergency procedures for cold storage warehouses should include:

First Aid: Procedures for providing first aid and obtaining medical care should be outlined. At least one trained person should be assigned the responsibility of attending to emergencies for each shift.
Hypothermia and Frostbite: Workers and supervisors who work in cold environments should be informed about symptoms of cold stress, proper clothing habits, safe work practices, physical fitness requirements for working in cold, and emergency procedures in case of cold injury. They should also understand and look out for one another and be alert for the symptoms of cold injury, including hypothermia. Warning signs of hypothermia can include complaints of nausea, fatigue, dizziness, irritability, or euphoria. Workers can also experience pain in their extremities such as the hands, feet, and ears, and shivering. Workers showing signs of hypothermia should be moved to a heated shelter and get medical help immediately.
Communication: Maintaining communication between all parties involved.
Emergency Plans: Having emergency plans and procedures in place to respond to extreme cold events.

Additional Safety Measures

Good Housekeeping: Good housekeeping is essential to prevent the accumulation of hazardous or toxic materials (e.g., build-up of dust or contaminant on ledges, or beams), or hazardous conditions (e.g., poor stockpiling).
Personal Hygiene: Personal hygiene practices are another effective way to reduce the amount of a hazardous material absorbed, ingested, or inhaled by a worker. Examples of personal hygiene practices include: Washing hands after handling material and before eating, drinking or smoking. Avoiding touching lips, nose, and eyes with contaminated hands. No smoking, drinking, chewing gum or eating in the work areas - these activities should be permitted only in a "clean" area. Not storing hazardous products in the same refrigerator as food items.
Equipment Maintenance: Keeping equipment well maintained.
Workplace Inspections: Monitor the steps taken to eliminate hazards or control the risk (e.g., engineering controls, administrative controls, policies, procedures, personal protective equipment).
Training: Employee education and training on how to conduct their work safely is a critical element of any complete workplace health and safety program. Training must cover not only how to do the job safely but it must also ensure that workers understand the hazards and risks of their job, and the controls in place to protect them. It must also provide them with information on how to protect themselves and co-workers.

Review and Evaluation

The effectiveness of control methods implemented must be determined and adjusted as required. Controls must not create new hazards. For example, if wearing PPE contributes to other hazards (e.g., heat stress), then it is important to review if other control methods are possible or if additional precautions are needed. Monitor both the hazard and the control method to make sure that the control is working effectively and that exposure to the hazard is reduced or eliminated.