There’s no reason that a walk-in refrigerator needs to be dangerous to your staff… so long as you keep on top of all of the necessary checks and regulations. A lot of health and safety in the workplace is simply about common sense – and walk-in fridges are no exception – however that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take a moment to make sure that you’re up to speed on the most important safety checks:
Brief Your Employees
You shouldn’t let any new staff use the walk-in refrigerators without first ensuring that they’re up to speed on all of the precautions that need to be taken. It’s no good bringing management up to speed but forgetting about the members of staff who make the most use of the equipment!
Check Safety Release Mechanisms
Getting locked inside a walk-in refrigerator could be very dangerous, as the human body is not able to withstand such cold temperatures for extended periods of time. With this in mind, any walk-in fridge should come equipped with a safety release mechanism, and you should test this regularly. If it isn’t working properly, employees can’t go in – it’s just not worth the risk.
Keep the Right Humidity
You’ll also want to check the humidity, as letting it get too high could encourage the growth of harmful toxins. 60% humidity is recommended, and anything above 70% becomes dangerous – if you do suspect mould growth, keep the area clear until you can have it thoroughly inspected and cleaned.
Suitable Footwear
Sometimes the smallest factors have the biggest role to play in keeping people safe, and something as simple as a slippery shoe could lead to accidents. Suggest that employees wear shoes or boots that have rubber soles with good grip!
Buddy System
Safety in numbers! Even if everything is as it should be, ensuring that people never head into a walk-in fridge on their own means that if something does go wrong, there’s always somebody available to help out or inform a supervisor.
Follow these tips and you and your staff shouldn’t have anything to worry about – just remember that when it comes to work place risks, there’s no such thing as too careful.