PPE | WORKING OUTSIDE IN WINTER OR IN UNHEATED PREMISES

Staying warm is important not only for health reasons. Everyone who works outdoors or in unheated areas should prepare for the upcoming winter season. Employees who move around in refrigerated areas such as freezers, cold stores or food warehouses have to face low temperatures all year round.

We will advise you on how to dress for a cold environment, how individual layers of clothing work and what you should not forget if, in addition to freezing temperatures, you will also be threatened by wind, rain or snow.

Why is protection against the cold important?

A long stay in low temperatures is a burden on the cardiovascular system. The blood vessels constrict, the blood thickens and the heart has to work harder. People with heart disease thus experience chest pain and quickly become short of breath on exertion. Cold air makes breathing difficult even for asthmatics.

And when the mercury on the thermometer drops below zero, another danger is frostbite, which causes the affected tissue to lose sensation and change its color. It mostly affects the nose, ears, hands and feet.

And how do low temperatures affect performance? Poor blood circulation in the body affects the nervous system, and people are less able to concentrate and sleepier in the cold. In cold limbs, they lose feeling, so they are less skilled and accurate.

Layers against the cold

Bottom layer

Let's start with the bottom layer, which is closest to the body, it actually creates the so-called second skin and you put it on first. For her, the most important thing is that it wicks sweat and moisture away from the skin well and at the same time maintains warmth. Polypropylene or polyester, for example, have such properties, and natural materials such as merino wool, tencel (made from cellulose fibers of eucalyptus) or soy or bamboo fiber. The material of the bottom layer should also contain an admixture of elastane, which gives it flexibility. It is important that your clothes fit well and hug your entire body, but at the same time they should not strangle you and limit your movement.

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The middle layer

The middle layer has the task of isolating heat and preventing it from escaping from the body. At the same time, it should protect against the penetration of cold from the outside, and breathability is also important. A frequently used material for second layer clothing (sweatshirts, sweaters, vests) is fleece knit. A thin layer of air is maintained between the individual fibers, which acts as an insulator. Merino wool also has excellent insulating properties, which is also antibacterial compared to synthetic fleece, so it doesn't stink even after a hard day.

When choosing a middle layer, pay attention to the cut. You will appreciate the elongated back and the raised collar with a stand-up collar that better protects the neck. The thumb loops on the sleeves are practical, thanks to which the sleeve will also protect your wrist, and what's more, it won't roll up. And on days when the temperature swings like a swing, the full zip closure comes in handy.

Upper layer

Finish the layering with a jacket and insulated pants, which will keep the heat close to the body and prevent the penetration of cold air from the outside. When choosing clothes for working outside, think about protecting against rain, snow and wind.

A popular material for the production of jackets and trousers is softshell, which prevents the penetration of cold and moisture to the body, but at the same time wicks sweat well to the outside, is flexible and adapts well to the body. Softshell clothing also includes internal insulation with a thin layer of fleece or hollow fiber filling. The membrane surface treatment increases the softshell's resistance to moisture (so-called water column) and cold. A cheaper alternative to the membrane is the so-called coating, a chemical polyurethane layer applied to the inner layer of the upper material. But it has smaller parameters of the water column and is destroyed by washing and use. Clothing made of waterproof materials should have taped seams that prevent water from seeping through.

More about winter work clothes here.

Source: https://www.cerva.com/cz/cs/trsvny-proti-chladu/a/p-157