Theoretical Requirements and Real Benefit of Cold Protective Clothing for Order-Pickers in Deep Cold

In a deep-cold working environment with variable physiological stress and considering individual thermoregulatory capacities, cold protective clothing must maintain the users’ body core and skin surface temperature on an acceptable level. In order to evaluate the cold protective clothing used, physiological effects of order-picking in a cold store (−24 ℃) were examined. 60 subjects (Ss) participated in the study, classified in 4 groups with 15 Ss each (younger/older males, younger/older females). The Ss had to work under predetermined, realistic working conditions with modified working phases with a duration of 80, 100, and 120 min, separated by identical warming-up breaks of 20 min. Additionally, 128 professional order-pickers employed in deep cold-storage depots had been systematically interviewed with regard to different topics of the cold protective clothing. The results show that the cold protective suit appears to protect sufficiently, whereby it should be noted that the insulation value is 2 times higher than required by an international standard. However, there is a need for improvements of the cold insulating boots and gloves to enable preventive occupational health and safety. In addition, a complete revision of the standards which are based on theoretical deliberations and assumptions is strongly recommended.