What to do if trapped inside a cold room?
In the design of modern cold rooms, it is fundamentally important to select a door that can be opened from the inside in case of emergency. This safety measure is of critical importance, considering that the human body cannot withstand extended periods in extreme cold conditions without posing serious health risks. According to the EN 179:2008 standard, the cold room door must be operable from the inside even if it has been locked from the outside with a key. Our company, IglooDoors®, ensures that our own designed and manufactured doors fully comply with these standard requirements.
Life-saving tips if trapped in a cold room
- If trapped inside a cold room, the first step should always be to locate the door. If there is lighting, the door can be easily located. In the absence of lighting, look for fluorescent markings on the interior surface of the door. If such markings are missing, the location of the door opening must be determined by touch.
- Next, check if there is an emergency bell in the room that can be used to call for help. Many cold rooms also have a fireman’s axe available, which can be used to damage the wall or door in an emergency.
- After finding the door, attempt to open it using the internal emergency release, which could be a push button, a rotating opening lever, or a one-hand opening handle. If the door does not open, try applying forceful pressure or kicking, especially if the lock is made of plastic or aluminum casting, which may give way under strong impact.
- If the door still does not open, or if it has been barricaded from the outside, look for other ways to survive in the cold room. It is important to prevent the cooling system from operating, thereby preventing further decrease in temperature.
- Special attention is needed at temperatures below 0°C, where the human body can quickly cool down. By attempting to disrupt the cooling system, stop the rotation of the fans, or crimp the incoming cooling pipe, ensuring not to cause a leak.
- Every cold room has a condensate water drain, which may help in making contact with the outside world.
It is crucial to highlight that selecting safe cold room doors not only represents energy savings but is also vital for occupational safety.
