Ergonomics in the professional kitchen - five tips for better ergonomics

Professional kitchens are busy working environments where workers are constantly on the move. Poor ergonomics can increase staff stress and absenteeism and reduce productivity. "Working in a kitchen is particularly stressful for the musculoskeletal system. The work involves handling heavy loads, repeating the same movements and working in a stooped or poor posture," say Petri Simonen, Kitchen and Training Manager at Metos Finland, and trainer Elisa Rontu from Metos Finland. These tips will make the work of kitchen professionals easier.

Preparation methods in public professional kitchens are different from those in restaurants, so the ergonomic challenges also differ.

– In restaurants, for example, cutting and mixing is done by hand, which creates more static stress. In the public sector, the mixing is done with a kettle, but the work involves more repetition of the same movement paths, which is not ergonomic," says Rontu.

More and more attention is being paid to kitchen ergonomics, not least because of the constant shortage of workers. They want to keep good employees and keep them in the working life for as long as possible. Kitchen ergonomics plays a critical role here: improving ergonomics is an investment that affects staff well-being and kitchen efficiency. Ergonomically designed facilities, correctly selected equipment, training and the right aids reduce stress and make the working environment more comfortable.

1. Consider ergonomics from the design stage

When a professional kitchen is expertly designed, work flows smoothly. The design aims to do as much as possible with as few steps as possible. The positioning of equipment, the height of worktops and a smooth workflow also make work easier and eliminate heavy work.

Ergonomics is significantly improved when, for example, the most frequently used equipment and supplies are placed within easy reach and workstations are sufficiently close together.

– For a kitchen worker, daily work can be really hard at worst. At the other extreme, however, it can be very enjoyable," Simonen points out.

– The kitchen should be made to be functional and efficient. When time is wasted on unnecessary movements, there is more time to take a break from work, he continues.

Changing kitchen facilities afterwards is always more laborious and expensive, and a non-functioning kitchen also leads to absenteeism and sickness costs, for example.

2. When making equipment purchases, invest

Ergonomic equipment choices are extremely important for well-being at work. When choosing equipment, particular attention should be paid to adjustable features. For example, height-adjustable working levels allow for a correct working posture, which reduces strain on the body and prevents long-term illness, pain and injuries.

– Don't save money on the wrong things. If you only look at the purchase price of equipment, you are bound to run into problems later. Poor working posture leads to occupational health problems in the musculoskeletal system, and of course it also affects job satisfaction, says Simonen.

– For example, height-adjustable working levels are important in themselves. Not all users are the same height.

Challenges in equpment ergonomics are most often encountered when a new kitchen is implemented by someone other than the end user. The objectives of the implementer and the end user are different.

3. Remember training

It is important for ergonomics that staff know how to work safely and healthily. In training, employees learn about the ergonomic features of the equipment and about such things as working postures and working methods.

– We go over ergonomics in our trainings. When you've been working on something for a long time, you don't always think about your own working methods, but you get on with the job routinely. That's why training is important, even if the equipment is familiar - for example, new insights may arise in terms of working methods. With training, users learn how to use the right working positions and lifting techniques, for example, which reduce strain and make work safer, says Rontu.

4. Take advantage of the features and automation of the equipment

Both Rontu and Simonen also consider the technology inside the equipment and the automation that makes kitchen work easier.

– For example, ovens have advanced technology. With the help of that you basically just need to know the result that you want to have, and the oven then takes care of else. You don't have to pay much attention to it. The oven can use sound signals to indicate when it is time to move on to a particular stage of the process, which saves the worker steps, says Simonen.

– The ovens also have, for example, an automatic cleaning function, which means that the worker does not have to scrub it clean and the machine will certainly be hygienic afterwards, continues Rontu.

They underline that you also have to trust the equipment and its features, as it makes kitchen work easier.

5. Choose aids that support ergonomics

With the right aids, repetitive work requiring physical effort can be made easier. Often the strain is concentrated on the lower back, neck and shoulders.

– If it is not possible to use a pump for the kettle in the kitchen, there is also a ceiling-mounted handle that makes it easier to lift the heavy scooping. Pushing or pulling loads or heavy pieces of equipment is lighter than lifting or carrying them, says Simonen.

Rontu points out that large equipment in particular often require reaching and awkward working positions.

– Adequate lengths of aids, for example for cleaning, already make things much easier. Such more ergonomic aids can also be recommended in training.

 

Check at least these!

 

• Use tables with adjustable height. Users have different heights, so the adjustability of desks is a very important factor in improving ergonomics. There are also models that can store the height settings of several users in memory.
• When moving the oven, use the removable push handle. It guides you to move the trolley in a controlled way and in a good position - without having to hold the hot trolley with the gloves.
• When removing the mixer from the kettle for washing, tilt the kettle forward to the extreme position. This allows you to pull the mixer out with your back straight. This is especially important for larger cooking pots, as the mixer weighs a lot.
• Consider the ergonomics of the dishwashing compartment by choosing tools that allow you to reach into the furthest corners. By ensuring adequate reach, you avoid heavy working positions.
• Food pumps for kettles improve ergonomics and reduce heavy scooping and lifting work. Pumps transfer food directly into the container or bag. If a dosing pump is not an option, consider an ergonomic handle with rails on the ceiling

 

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