16 August 2004 - Musculoskeletal Disorders: UNISON Raise Question of Kitchen Designs
UNISON raises the question, that the layouts and designs of kitchens, fixtures and fittings in the workplace, together with unhelpful working practices, causes concern with regards to Musculoskeletal injury.
A survey done by the University of Sheffield shows that of the kitchen workers who took part, 49% said they had experienced pain in the past week with 77% experiencing a significant amount of pain in the past 12 months. Over half had to seek medical attention as a consequence of working in awkward positions, lifting heavy objects, twisting and bending.
Hope Daley, UNISON Senior National Health and Safety Officer commented:
“Living
with pain should not be an option, especially when employers could take
action to prevent it. We need proper risk assessments to monitor
where the real danger areas are and immediate action where solutions have
already been identified.
Most kitchen workers are women and they have to adjust themselves to the
work surface, instead of work surfaces adjusting to them.
Surfaces are designed at a standard height, leaving people who are above or
below the average, working in an awkward posture, particularly when cutting
or chopping.
This problem must be addressed when designing workplace kitchens. It should be possible to have workbenches at different heights, or with adjustable surfaces that would reduce the risk of injury. The survey showed that the way people work also contributes to the risk of developing musculoskeletal injury. The likelihood of injury increased when employees were working very fast and intensively. When in a hurry workers, tended to lift badly, putting stress on their lower backs. If staff are able to take more time over tasks, then the risk of injury is reduced.
However, the survey found that the greatest number of complaints were about how heavy many kitchen tasks were and how awkward they were – particularly when they meant long periods bending over."
UNISON has produced its own guide for health and safety representatives which can be found on their web site by clicking this link UNISON the public service union - Health and safety.
Article by Alexandra Johnston
