Finnish warehouse workers brave sub-zero temperatures to keep ice cream flowing in heatwave

In a chilly corridor of a warehouse in Vantaa, Finland, with temperatures as low as -21 degrees Celsius, 26-year-old Belinda Selonen is hard at work. Dressed in two pairs of wool socks and a beanie to protect her from the cold, she operates a collection machine, busily loading it with ice cream. According to Lasse Kokkonen, the production manager, ice cream can make up to half of the outgoing products from the warehouse during hot summer days.

This is Selonen’s first summer job in a cold storage facility. Despite the freezing temperatures, she enjoys her work, claiming it can make her break a sweat. She wears a merino wool shirt, which helps to wick away moisture. Notably, employees in the cold storage warehouse receive a 20% extra pay for working in cold conditions.

However, working in such extreme conditions requires special precautions. New employees are provided with beanies, neck warmers, padded jackets, gloves, padded trousers, safety boots, and wool socks. They also undergo a six-day training period where they are familiarized with the warehouse’s traffic rules and other necessary safety measures.

Despite the cold, Kokkonen says that almost all employees adapt to working in the cold storage facility. With advancements in protective gear, very few new employees quit because of the cold.

The cold storage warehouse operates with a staff of 220 during the summer, has 62 collection machines, and stores 3,600 different products in its 18,000 square meter space.