There are many sectors and jobs where most or all of the working day is spent in
extremely cold weather conditions. A clear example of this are the jobs performed in cold rooms
handling food such as meat, fish or vegetables.
It is not enough to wear everyday clothing because the cold is a harmful agent for our health, causing fatigue at
work, muscle aches, risk of hypothermia, frostbite and various injuries caused by the cold itself.
For this reason, using thermal clothing for intense cold can make the difference between safe and
dangerous work. We do not always know how to identify which clothing is the most ideal, so today we will explain
which work clothing is the most suitable for thermal protection and extreme cold.
Features of refrigerator and extreme cold protective
clothing
The clothing for refrigeration and extreme cold protection must have the following fundamental
characteristics.
1. Thermal insulation
It is essential that the materials of the garments have resistance to the passage of cold, being
mandatory in
extremely cold environments. They must also provide a good fit to the body and the parts they cover
must be well closed.
2. Thermal resistance
They must also have thermal resistance to not only oppose the passage of cold, but also prevent the
escape of body heat.
3. Comply with EN342 Protective clothing. Sets and garments for protection against the cold.
This standard EN342 specifies the requirements and test methods for protective clothing
against the cold at temperatures below 5ºC. Within this standard there are 3 categories:
-
Category I garments. They are intended to protect against ambient temperatures above
-5ºC. They must comply with the requirements established in the harmonized standard.
EN14058:2004, the Spanish version of which is UNE-EN 14058:2004.
-
Category II garments. These garments are intended to protect against ambient temperatures between
-5ºC and -50ºC.. They must comply with the requirements established in EN342:2004 (Spanish
version of the standard: UNE-EN342:2004).
-
Category III garments. This type of garments are intended to protect against
temperatures equal to or higher than -50ºC. The standard they must comply with is EN 342:2004.
4. Air permeability.
Workwear must prevent air penetration, this being a mandatory feature in really cold work
environments.
The most suitable equipment for refrigeration workers and extreme
cold conditions
It is important to bear in mind that wearing many layers of clothing will not keep the body warm, on the contrary,
the important thing is to wear the right clothing: pants and
special jacket for cold rooms and underneath only breathable thermal
underwear. Otherwise, if we wear a T-shirt, sweater or polar fleece under the special clothing
for cold storage, this will have the opposite effect, not allowing us to perspire, so we would sweat and get cold.
The same happens in the feet, if we wear isothermal covers or double socks, the foot would sweat and we would be
cold, so we recommend coolmax breathable socks to control thermal
regulation.
At Reysan Atlantic ®, as experts in safety clothing and footwear, we offer our
customers only products that meet all the requirements for protection against extreme cold and cold
storage. To this end, we provide a list of the essential garments needed to work in these environments.
With 80% polyester and 20% cotton fabric, it has an ISOSOFT® quilted lining inside. This allows it to be
resistant up to -40ºC,
keeping the body heat safely and avoiding sudden thermal changes. As it is adjustable and has zipper
closures, it allows for comfortable work in cold rooms and extremely cold environments. Complies
with EN342 Category II.
When you need maximum protection against extreme cold and comfort, as well as
high visibility, these refrigerator pants are ideal for the toughest working environments.
Complies with EN342 Category II.
Our extreme cold protection jacket features a high-tech insulation lining. This allows
you to protect down to -40ºC by reinforcing the shoulders, elbows and neck areas. Its
fabric is 80% polyester and 20% cotton, with two side pockets, plus one outside pocket for cell phone and
one inside pocket. Complies with EN342 Category II.
With the same cold protection characteristics as the refrigerator jacket, its main feature
is its high visibility capacity for industries where it is essential to have
reflective fabrics. Complies with EN342 Category II.
The thermo plus boot offers superior safety in working environments where
temperatures are extremely cold, resisting up to -50ºC. They are made of
polyurethane offering great thermal insulation, comfort, light weight and
durability. In addition, they are
resistant to oils, grease, solvents and a wide variety of chemical products. Available in
white, orange and green.
The Thinsulate 691 ICE GRIP glove is cold resistant, offering protection down to -50ºC. It
complies among others with the EN511, standard, which specifies the requirements and test
methods for gloves protecting against cold transmitted by convection or conduction down to -50ºC. It offers
good abrasion resistance and is very flexible.
Showa 451 gloves are designed for use in cold climates, with warmth in
mind. Natural rubber coating on the palm for extra grip due to the rough surface texture. Also complies with
EN511 and other standards.
And if you need help about any of our products, which clothing is the most suitable for your
business requirements, how you can customize it with your company image or any other doubt, our team of experts will be able to advise you in your online
purchase.