The regulations on workplace safety for the food industry and cold stores, from the danger of suffocation to fire regulations
To allow operators to carry out their activity safely and without risk of accidents or occupational diseases within the cold stores, both the employee and the worker have the obligation to follow the indications of the Single Text on health and safety in the work, as per law. This measure imposes the risk assessment, the appointment of a professional risk prevention officer and a safety worker representative, a fire-fighting team, first-aid officers, a competent doctor and mandatory training for all workers in this matter.
Safety and prevention inside the cold rooms
For the safety inside the cold rooms with controlled atmosphere, that establishes numerous prevention measures for this specific sector. Next, we see what they are:
- At each access to the cold rooms, safety signs must be posted indicating the danger of suffocation.
- During maintenance periods, the camera must be inaccessible to personnel through locking systems and locks: workers can access only after cleaning.
- All accesses must have gas detection systems and acoustic and visual signals to indicate the lack of oxygen or the excess of carbon dioxide.
- A nitrogen detection system must be installed to avoid the risk of insufflation.
- There must be a ventilation system capable of mixing the atmosphere inside the cold room and in the worker’s passage areas.
- All personnel involved in the management of the system must have respirators as Personal Protective Equipment.
- All pipes that contain harmful, asphyxiating or dangerous gases must be marked with different colorations.
- Cold rooms must comply with all technical standards of Safety that refer to the Functional Safety of programmable electrical, electronic and electronic systems for safety applications.
- Based on the commercial refrigeration system must only be carried out by authorized companies.
Measures to reduce the risk of fire
Among the accidents that may occur in a refrigerated warehouse, fire should be considered. Different measures can reduce fire related hazards. First, respect for the current legislation on prevention, the full compliance of the systems, the proper use and maintenance.
The design of the spaces has a decisive role in reducing risks within a refrigerated distribution center. For example, a subdivision in processing and storage areas that use useful compartments can be considered to stop the eventual spread of a fire. In the choice of technological equipment, a minimum presence of flammable substances such as ammonia can be provided, which is usually used as a liquid for cooling systems. Nicole Kidman’s Home In Sydney In Danger Of Burning Down Amid The Devastating Australian Wildfires
In addition, a design that takes care of the selection of the materials used for the construction of the warehouse with controlled temperature can improve the performance of reaction and fire resistance of the building, contributing to the reduction of the risk of fire.
