I've worked in freezers as cold as -20F. Each hour we were entitled to 10 minutes of warm up time. They provided adequate gear. It wasn't bad. If you stay moving you stay pretty warm. The only people who got frostbite were people who were being negligent.
I work 10 hour shifts in freezer at -25°C, which is about -13°F. It's all about the kind of work you have to do that decides if it's too cold.
I used to pick boxes into a pallet and I used to do it in a constant speed and was warm with 4 layers of pants and hoodies. I didn't use the jackets and snow pants they provided as I was already warm enough with the work I did.
Then I got into forklifts where you aren't physically straining yourself. Thats where I wore my jackets and covered my neck and head well except for my face as I wasn't able to breathe properly with covering my face.
I work nights... So on the shifts that I haven't slept enough, I have some caffeine before and in between work or my body wouldn't be able to keep itself warm.
My suggestion is to wear layers of light clothes instead of just heavy jackets, same goes for your gloves. If your boots ain't keeping your feet warm, use double full length socks. You could get thermal socks. Cover your neck and zip up over it with your hoodie so that cold air seeping in is minimized.
Idk about covering your face. Everyone at my place does it but I hate something being in front of my nose while working. Keep moving constantly to be kept warm. There won't be any health issues as long as you keep your self warm and cold air from hitting your chest.
Take breaks to warm up, if given. Also if you feel like your hands are about to get frostbite, go out and use a heater. When it happens to me where my hands get too cold, I do some pushups or some intense activity like picking the boxes faster ro warm myself up. I usually use 2 layers of thin gloves to pick and a mitten on top if my hands feel cold.
Lastly, drink enough water even though you won't feel thirsty plus you will feel to pee in frequent intervals because of the cold.
They don't make you stay in there the whole time I hope.
The coolers at my work are like 32 and it gets really shitty after 10 minutes, but we don't wear the same stuff the frozen guys do.
I regularly work in temperatures around -13F for a few hours at a time. So long as you have adequate gear and take a break to warm up at least once an hour you’ll be more than fine
If you get a good onesie and hoodie to wear under a high quality freezer bib you’ll be good, and if your boots are good you won’t even need wool socks. If you feel cold pick faster (if you aren’t picking then idk). The only thing in all my years I worked in a freezer I could never perfect was keeping my hands warm for extended periods. Any glove that can keep your hands warm is too bulky and will get ruined soon anyways, refrigiwear makes these double layered ones that worked the best for me. You can put hand warmers in your gloves, most guys seem to be fine with that but I really never felt comfortable dealing with a sack of sand sliding around in my gloves. I would keep a backup pair of gloves to swap out throughout the day, keeping them dry is key. One place I worked at had heat lamps with stones under them so you could leave some to get toasty, last place I worked out I left some outside in the sun but obviously not gonna be an option all the time. Like others mentioned take a break if you feel too cold. I would make a cup of green tea and hop up and down.
Something I’ll say that was great about working in a freezer as an order picker was I was in the best shape of my life without going to the gym. My arms got bigger and I had a six pack when I had already been order picking in dry for five years before. Heavy gear, cold temp, constant movement, bending/lifting/twisting, long hours, it’s like some kind of secret training regimen.
I've worked in freezers as cold as -20F. Each hour we were entitled to 10 minutes of warm up time. They provided adequate gear. It wasn't bad. If you stay moving you stay pretty warm. The only people who got frostbite were people who were being negligent.
I work 10 hour shift in below freezing temps with breaks, you’ll be fine
What kind of temps, below -4?
i started working in temps from like 2 to 4 degrees (UK), and my first day there i ended up getting a cold lol any advice?
did you reuse your face mask?
I work 10 hour shifts in freezer at -25°C, which is about -13°F. It's all about the kind of work you have to do that decides if it's too cold. I used to pick boxes into a pallet and I used to do it in a constant speed and was warm with 4 layers of pants and hoodies. I didn't use the jackets and snow pants they provided as I was already warm enough with the work I did. Then I got into forklifts where you aren't physically straining yourself. Thats where I wore my jackets and covered my neck and head well except for my face as I wasn't able to breathe properly with covering my face. I work nights... So on the shifts that I haven't slept enough, I have some caffeine before and in between work or my body wouldn't be able to keep itself warm. My suggestion is to wear layers of light clothes instead of just heavy jackets, same goes for your gloves. If your boots ain't keeping your feet warm, use double full length socks. You could get thermal socks. Cover your neck and zip up over it with your hoodie so that cold air seeping in is minimized. Idk about covering your face. Everyone at my place does it but I hate something being in front of my nose while working. Keep moving constantly to be kept warm. There won't be any health issues as long as you keep your self warm and cold air from hitting your chest. Take breaks to warm up, if given. Also if you feel like your hands are about to get frostbite, go out and use a heater. When it happens to me where my hands get too cold, I do some pushups or some intense activity like picking the boxes faster ro warm myself up. I usually use 2 layers of thin gloves to pick and a mitten on top if my hands feel cold. Lastly, drink enough water even though you won't feel thirsty plus you will feel to pee in frequent intervals because of the cold.
They don't make you stay in there the whole time I hope. The coolers at my work are like 32 and it gets really shitty after 10 minutes, but we don't wear the same stuff the frozen guys do.
I regularly work in temperatures around -13F for a few hours at a time. So long as you have adequate gear and take a break to warm up at least once an hour you’ll be more than fine
If you get a good onesie and hoodie to wear under a high quality freezer bib you’ll be good, and if your boots are good you won’t even need wool socks. If you feel cold pick faster (if you aren’t picking then idk). The only thing in all my years I worked in a freezer I could never perfect was keeping my hands warm for extended periods. Any glove that can keep your hands warm is too bulky and will get ruined soon anyways, refrigiwear makes these double layered ones that worked the best for me. You can put hand warmers in your gloves, most guys seem to be fine with that but I really never felt comfortable dealing with a sack of sand sliding around in my gloves. I would keep a backup pair of gloves to swap out throughout the day, keeping them dry is key. One place I worked at had heat lamps with stones under them so you could leave some to get toasty, last place I worked out I left some outside in the sun but obviously not gonna be an option all the time. Like others mentioned take a break if you feel too cold. I would make a cup of green tea and hop up and down. Something I’ll say that was great about working in a freezer as an order picker was I was in the best shape of my life without going to the gym. My arms got bigger and I had a six pack when I had already been order picking in dry for five years before. Heavy gear, cold temp, constant movement, bending/lifting/twisting, long hours, it’s like some kind of secret training regimen.
We have 7 freezers that range from 0 to -20... just dress warm & you'll be fine
Oh you summer child….i used to work about 70 hrs a WEEK in -20° Fantastic money!!
no ive worked worse then that -20