Humans have an operating core temperature of 37.5⁰C. We all know how awful it feels like to have a fever, i.e. a core temperature of more than 37.5⁰C , but core temperatures of less than 37.5⁰C are just as bad and in relatively short order lead to hypothermia.

While hypothermia can be fatal, it’s the relatively small drops in core temperature, i.e. those which do not result in proper hypothermia that are of interest when it comes to personal protective clothing for chilled and freezer store workers.

The current practice in South African cold stores is to allow cold store workers, be the case pickers, forklift drivers or cleaners to warm up in special warm up rooms for a portion of every hour that they work, generally 40 minutes in the store followed by 20 minutes “warming up”. Warming up is in inverted commas because what actually happens is that the employee, although he may superficially feel warmer is actually lowering his core temperature. Let me explain. When working at a temperature of say -23⁰C in a minimally insulated cold store suit, our bodies respond automatically, but with some variances according to genetic makeup.

Photo credit : Yale Material handling Corp

Europeans generally have what is known as the Hunting reaction. If a sense of coldness persists, blood vessels in the arms and legs constrict, slowing blood circulation and concentrating it in the body core. The skin area of fingers and toes encourages blood to chill quicker. When it returns to the body core, it more rapidly reduces the core temperature. Thus, the body automatically tries to limit this core temperature reduction. If a worker sits in a warm up room for 20 minutes of every hour, what actually happens is that the body senses warmth and relaxes the vascular constriction.

Cold temperatures can cause the narrowing of blood vessels and lead to blue-tinged skin.

The relatively cold blood which was semi trapped in the extremities ,flows back into the body core and in 20 minutes its temperature actually drops further rather than rising to 37.5⁰C. This process is repeated throughout the shift so a workers’ core temperature continues to drop.

Feeling cold and uncomfortable encourages cold store workers to spend longer in the warm up room during each break, easily spending half the shift trying to get warm. Apart from limiting productive work, low core temperatures cause a lack of concentration. This is why most cold stores

have heated cabs on reach trucks as this allows the driver to operate efficiently and limits rack or product damage. Another negative is that even the smallest arithmetical calculations become impossible. This was first noticed in WW2 when accurate aircraft navigation was impossible until navigators had thick lambskin suits. In cold stores, the same applies to accurate counting of stock.

For these reasons, Barpro Storage technicians all wear Delf Freezer Wear, imported from the UK. The suits, boots gloves and trapper hats/balaclavas allow them to work comfortably at minus temperatures without lowering their core temperatures, meaning that they don’t need to warm up. In fact, depending on the amount of physical work required, they may perspire. The amount of physical movement and heat created by the worker inside the store has an important bearing on the type of suit required. For example, a reach truck driver creates relatively little heat sitting. Therefore, even in a chill store, without a heated cab, it can be best for him to wear a freezer store suit. If in a freezer store one can consider a -40⁰C suits.

Barpro has a full range of Delf Freezer Wear in different sizes for various applications. The Delf suits are more expensive than locally sourced options . However, correctly washed and cared for they can last for years. Their biggest advantage though is that when you buy a Delf suit, you also effectively get an additional employee.

Do not boil freezer suits

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