How Does a Koolerwear Jacket Keep You Warm?
The meat and food processing industries involve working in many different conditions, including walk-in freezers and refrigerated environments. Even for workers moving quickly in and out of these parts of a facility, it can be detrimental to their health if they aren’t wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to stay warm and keep their core temperature up.
Here’s how Koolerwear insulated work clothing helps to protect employees, ensuring a safe work environment.
The Risks of Cold Exposure
Cold exposure—especially when prolonged—can have many adverse effects on a person’s health. In addition to several physical conditions and discomforts an employee may experience if not adequately protected against the cold temperatures in freezers and refrigerated work spaces, cold exposure can reduce employee concentration and productivity, increasing the risk of accident or injury.
Here are some of the possible risks of cold exposure when not wearing the necessary PPE:
Heart Problems
Because cold temperatures cause the arteries to constrict, your heart is under a lot more strain when you’re experiencing cold exposure. This increased and prolonged strain on your heart can lead to heart attacks and other heart-related issues over time.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops so low that the body starts to lose heat faster than it can make it. The longer the body is exposed to cold temperatures, the worse hypothermia symptoms may become. Early on, hypothermia may manifest as dizziness, lethargy, nausea, or an increased heart rate. If cold exposure continues, symptoms may worsen and include slurred speech, shallow breathing, and weakened heart rate.
Frostbite
Frostbite on the skin can easily go unnoticed because it starts with numbness, and it can strike any exposed skin area in cold conditions. Significant cases of frostbite may even require amputation, so it’s important to do everything possible to prevent frostbite
Cold Urticaria and Chilblains
These two skin conditions are caused by prolonged cold exposure and result in various red, itchy rashes or welts on the skin. Worse cases of chilblains may cause ulcers that take a few weeks to clear up.
Mental Lethargy
Even separate from the physical conditions mentioned above, prolonged cold exposure can reduce cognitive abilities, resulting in decreased concentration and poor dexterity. When workers move slowly and clumsily they’re more likely to slip, fall, drop things, or experience some other accident. And it’s simply uncomfortable to be cold!
The Science Behind Insulated Work Clothing
Insulated work clothing is PPE designed to protect workers in cold environments from the dangers of exposure. It is made with thermal insulation to trap heat against the body, maintaining a healthy temperature and preventing heat loss. Insulated clothing for freezers and refrigerated environments is designed to retain heat while also being lightweight and easy to work with, providing workers with temperature and functional comfort.
The components of insulated work clothing include insulating material to maintain warmth and an outer shell that repels cold. To be OSHA compliant, insulated work clothing should be loose-fitting enough to not negatively impact circulation and be made up of three layers:
- An inner layer of wool, silk, or synthetic material to keep moisture away from contact with the body,
- A middle layer of wool or synthetic material for further insulation even when wet,
- And an outer layer to provide ample insulation as well as ventilation to prevent overheating.
What Makes Koolerwear Jackets a Cut Above the Rest
At Bunzl Processor Division, we take pride in our insulated work separates by Koolerwear. Our Koolerwear jackets and vests are designed with a perfect balance of comfort, quality, and affordability, giving food processing workers all the protection they need in a comfortable, lightweight design.
Koolerwear jackets are our most popular and economical insulated wear. With 7.4 ounces of DuPont Dacron 808® fiber fill. Dacron fiberfill is among the best insulating polyester fibers out there, providing superior insulation while also being hypoallergenic, non-absorbent, and mildew-resistant.
In addition to having two insulated hand warmer pockets to protect your fingers in between work tasks, Koolerwear jackets will keep workers warm in refrigerated conditions while still being lightweight and easy to work in. The jackets also feature a 100% nylon outer shell that is water resistant and highly durable, plus machine washable for easy cleaning!
BPD customers are especially fond of the Koolerwear vest for lightweight wear while still being warm and comfortable. Both the vest and the jacket come in navy blue or high-visibility orange for ANSI Class 2 compliance.
Koolerwear vs. Koldwear
In addition to our lighter-weight Koolerwear insulated separates, we’re pleased to offer a heavier-duty layering option at BPD for those employees who spend a lot of time in freezing temperatures! Koldwear separates are rated for temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping your employees safe in more intensely cold environments. Think of Koolerwear as your all-day cold combating layer, and Koldwear as your outer layer for those more intense cold periods!
While overheating may be a concern when determining the amount of layering needed in cold work environments, both Koolerwear and Koldwear have smooth, easy-to-use zippers that allow for immediate ventilation if an employee is feeling overly warm during the work day.
Keep Warm in the Workplace with Our Insulated Separates!
At Bunzl Processor Division, we have everything you need to stay warm in the workplace. From jackets, insulated gloves, and vests to coveralls, boots, and other insulated separates, make sure you and your employees are protected in the chilly workplace with Koolerwear and Koldwear!
And as always, contact us at 1-800-456-5624 with any questions.
