Refrigerated Warehouses: A Case Study of UK

Chris Sturman
The growth in the refrigeration market, due to demand for food that can retain its freshness as
opposed to produce with a shelf life, has placed increasing pressure on cold-store operators. The
key function of a refrigerated warehouse is to maintain the temperature of products at the level at
which they were received. Blast freezing and tempering chambers are used for managing any
change of temperature required and these activities should take place away from the main storage
areas to minimize the risk of temperature deviation (+/–) to goods being held in stock. Cold
chain management and maintenance of food quality and safety whilst managing significant
energy and materials handling cost levels are priorities. At the same time, boards of directors and
management need to assess the risks which relate to fire and business continuity, these being
major issues facing both the food processing and storage and distribution industries in the United
Kingdom. A business continuity and disaster recovery plan should be a core requirement of the
business regime, with staff involvement and training being prerequisites.
Materials handling and storage in a temperature-controlled environment
A wide range of storage media is used, all with the intention of optimizing storage capacity with
accessibility, given the high fixed and variable costs prevalent in the sector. The most popular
are:
 Wide, narrow and very narrow aisle racking. Used in faster-moving operations,
particularly in order picking by case and by unit. These suit secondary distribution
layouts, where access to a wide range of stock keeping units (SKUs) is required, and
delivery lead times are short. Often reserve stock is held in a national or primary
distribution center (NDC or PDC).
 Drive-in racking. Used for bulk pallet storage and more frequently for longer-term
storage, to suit seasonal production and supply peaks or production/packaging operations
to meet different packing formats.
 Mobile racking. Buildings must first be constructed with mobility in mind, as the
building needs substantial steel runners set flush into the insulated cold-store floor
surface. Popular with smaller companies that have higher volumes to store but also need
accessibility for range and stock rotation.
 Automated storage. More common in continental Europe, although recent developments
on behalf of multinational food processors in the United Kingdom have seen two further
high bay stores built and commissioned for primary/national pallet storage and
distribution. These are very economical for customers if volume related, and best
attached or contracted to a high-volume production plant. However, they are totally
dependent on design and WMS software for operational capability and capacity/speed,
and these demand high standards of presentation within the design pallet gauge.
Reliability is key, with benefits in low manpower and energy costs. The most recently
constructed frozen food facilities are highly automated sites, with high-density storage
areas. These types of storage media result in less air circulation and as a result reduced
energy usage.
The UK’s largest frozen food logistics facility to date was opened in Wisbech, Cambridge shire
in 2010. The store, operated by Partner Logistics, has space for 77,000 pallets, operates at
temperatures of –27 degrees centigrade, and measures 175 meters by 88 meters by 36 meters
high. The density of storage is achieved by drive-in racking. This uses the cube of the building

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efficiently and is important in terms of economies for energy usage. All these cold stores require
specific types of MHE equipment, which have to be specially adapted by the manufacturer to be
able to operate efficiently in chilled and sub-zero environments. Key aspects include:
 heavy-duty batteries designed for a minimum eight-hour shift life;
 special hydraulic oils to withstand sub-zero temperature levels; and
 electronic and electrical systems encased or coated to prevent moisture ingress.

In some cases, trucks are fitted with heated cabs to avoid driving staff having to wear special
temperature-controlled clothing. This enables them to work longer since they no longer need the
in-shift warming breaks (see Figure 1.6, courtesy of Bendi). Energy management and plant
maintenance Energy is a large proportion of operating costs, ranging from 12 to 30 per cent on
average. The actual amount will depend first on the age and condition of the building, relative
thermographic integrity and the age and management of refrigeration plant, and second on
equipment management and maintenance. Buildings flex naturally, but cold stores more so,
because of the temperature and humidity range between the inside and outside environments.
The most important area of focus is the avoidance of heat ingress into the cold space through
panel joints, door frames and structures. An annual thermographic scan with immediate attention
to panels and joints is essential. The second priority is to ensure that no condensation is allowed
to settle on top of cold boxes which, depending on the time of year, can repeatedly freeze and
melt, with potential ingress through surrounding joints into the panel structure, thereby allowing
delamination and subsequent structural strength decay. The shifting of energy loads to more
suitable and cost-effective periods, thereby reducing the tariff rate or alternatively agreeing to be
cut off at peak load periods, are methods of energy-cost reduction. An alternative and latest
version of this is to be paid to agree to have supply curtailed for a fixed period on a timed basis.
The focus on energy and carbon reduction has resulted in significant research in techniques by
which to generate even greater improvement. These include:
 a reduction in cooling demand by ensuring that product enters at the correct temperature;
 improved plant design;
 improved operational management and maintenance;
 recovery of heat to use elsewhere in the business – hot water, space heating, etc;
 examination of the use of CHP (combined heat and power) – tri-generation; and
 consideration of low carbon electricity – wind, wave or hydro-electric.

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In addition, there are more radical approaches; with more positive and closer store management
attention. These are as follows:
 carefully review the cold-store room layout and thereby change the temperature flows;
 raise refrigeration evaporating temperature for a potential 11 per cent or more cost
saving;
 reduce refrigeration condensing temperature;
 seasonally adjust refrigeration to take account of external ambient temperature;
 where fitted, split cold-store and blast-freezer refrigeration systems;
 install and use variable-speed drive fans; and
 focus on and manage more closely door opening design and operations.
Safety and risk assessment:
There are two different types of refrigerants used in temperature-controlled stores. These are
either Hydro Chloro Carbon (HFC/HCFC) or ammonia based, with sometimes a brine or Freon
secondary refrigerant, to minimize the ammonia charge. HFC based refrigerants are currently
being phased out, as a consequence of legislation following the adoption of the Montreal
Protocol, to reduce Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) or those with high Global Warming
Potential (GWP). The only economically realistic alternative is ammonia, a naturally available
chemical. However, ammonia has dangerous and explosive attributes that require specific risk
assessment and management (EU/UK ATEX/DSEAR Regulations 2002 or equivalent in other
countries). Additionally, legionella risk assessment and management of condensers are required
to ensure the safety of workers and occupiers of adjacent properties. Stock management and
housekeeping. In addition to the normal stock-management processes found in conventional
warehouses, the following specific processes can be found in the temperature-controlled sector:
 Traceability. EU 178/2002 sets out specific requirements for food safety, traceability and
recall of unsafe foods. Warehouse operators should carefully consider whether they can
be classed as food business operators (most public cold-store operators are) and register
accordingly. Food Standards Agency Guidance Notes are available, which should be
considered along with the Food Safety Act 1990 (Amendment) Regulations 2004 and the
General Food Regulations 2004, along with requirements for marks and labels which
differ depending on whether the product has been prepared for final consumption. Food
Labelling Regulations 1996 (Regulation 35) also need to be considered. Subsequently,
EU Regulations 852 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and Regulation 853 laying down
specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin require (inter alia) the maintenance of
cold chain, implementation of procedures based on HACCP principles, consultation of
good practice guides, and establishment of micro bacterial and temperature-controlled
requirements based on scientific risk assessment, albeit that this requirement applies to
storage and transport but not to retail establishments.
 Temperature checks. All stores need to be fitted with temperature monitoring equipment
that is checked on a shift or am/pm basis and records kept for regulatory and operational
analysis.
 Product checks. All products should be checked on intake to ensure that the product is
sound and to specification. They should then be checked outbound to demonstrate to the
collecting company and final receiver that they were at the specified temperature level on
dispatch. Care should be taken not to damage product at any time.

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  Segregation. All damaged or unfit product should be labelled or marked and removed to
ensure it cannot move further down the food chain.
 Date codes. Particularly with fast-moving chilled products, codes need particular
attention to ensure correct rotation and 100 per cent acceptance at retail RDC or other
final delivery point.
 Product spills. Need quick response, to avoid crushed product and packaging from
spreading across the working space, and ingestion into the working parts of equipment.
Health and safety issues
Additional hazards are particularly harsh at zero degrees or below, but can still apply in certain
cases to the chilled chain. Specific issues surround the effect of cold temperature and the cold
environment on people, and will also vary by type and size of facility and operations being
undertaken.
Specific hazards:
 accidental lock-in risk, requiring alarms and quick-release equipment;
 the effect of cold on people and use of PPE require specific advice and training for staff
to wear appropriate thermal clothing, drink lots of water, protect bare skin (particularly
fingers, noses and ears), taking greater care if smokers or drinkers;
 accidental release of refrigerant, particularly ammonia;
 use of materials-handling equipment in slippery floor areas where ice
 build-up may occur, particularly around door openings.
 Slip and trip hazards are ever present along with the risk of skidding and overturning;
 ice build-up on panels present an ice-fall hazard, and can, if left, cause roof panels to fall,
risking injury to operators below;
 product falls from pallet racks, due to displaced product;
 working at heights: the use of non-integrated platforms using forklift trucks has
effectively been eliminated from all stores other than in sub-zero temperatures, and the
use of mechanized elevating working platforms (MEWPs) is obligatory. However, these
items of equipment are not equipped for sub-zero temperatures. Here the practice is
closely scrutinized as agreed between the industry and the Health and Safety Executive.
 The Food Storage and Distribution Federation, British Frozen Foods Federation and
Health and Safety Executive have worked together to deliver a Supplementary Guidance
(PM 28) during 2010 to help manage these risks.
Transportation issues
These revolve around the loading dock, where operational regimes need to ensure the
maintenance of the cold chain, preventing temperature migration between the cold store, the
outside temperature and the open vehicle whilst loading and unloading. Solutions include the use
of dock ports and shelters, with close-fitting seals around the door apertures of the vehicle, and
air curtains to prevent the ingress of warm air.
Summary
Overall housekeeping regimes in any environment require the provision of a safe, clean, clear,
unobstructed floor or work space to allow for the safe movement of goods, vehicle equipment
and people. The temperature-controlled environment requires that extra care is taken to address
condensation and ice build-up on equipment, floors and walls, and that operational processes are
designed with the care of people and product in mind. Risk assessments and operational methods
and instructions need to be developed with that as the first priority.