Course Project Part 2: Determining Safety
In Unit IV, you began a course project in which you reviewed the risks associated with your workstation of choice. (Attached) During this unit, you will build upon that project to identify whether or not your workstation is ergonomically sound and to determine how the safety can be improved.
Start by documenting your findings and comparing them to the tables found in the textbook. Make a determination as to whether your space is ergonomically safe. Look specifically at the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). Next, make suggestions for how it can be improved.
Finally, conduct research on ergonomics-related regulatory efforts and standards. Are there recommended safety standards or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommendations? What are they? Also, explain if you believe the safety standards are enough to keep employees safe or if more needs to be done. (Hint: Make sure you read the Unit VII Lesson!)
Your assignment should be a minimum of two pages in length. All sources must be cited and referenced according to APA standards.
Running head: ERGONOMIC ISSUES
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A Discussion of Ergonomic Issues Relating to a Chef’s Workstation
Eric Torres
Columbia Southern University
ERGONOMIC ISSUES
Part B
Ergonomics hazard assessment a Chef’s workstation
Potential Stressor, Risk and Hazards of the Workstation
A chef’s station is situated in the kitchen, where there is a lot of
activity going on as well as cooking, which of course demands high
temperatures. Consequently, high heat could be the first potential
stressor for the chef, as they may end up feeling too hot or suffocated
due to the heat emanating from the various cooking stations. In addition
to this, the chef is bound to stand for long hours as they cook throughout
their shift. Long hours and the need to stand most of the time could be a
potential stressor, which may yield fatigue and even frustration.
It is important to note that the chef does not work independently,
but rather have a team that reports to them. The occasional trouble of
unresponsive or stubborn team members who don’t deliver could cause
stress. Lastly, despite not being in direct contact with the clients, they
still face the pressure of the need to deliver excellent results, as
customers’ demands will mostly be based on the quality of food; these
could be both realistic and unrealistic demands. Employees with high
psychological demands, limited job control, and leadership or co-worker
support, are at risk of developing poor health (DeTienne et al, 2012, as
cited by Foy, 2015).
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ERGONOMIC ISSUES
The potential hazards at the chef’s workstation refers to situations
that enable the possible occurrence of endangerment or risk. One of the
ergonomic hazards present in a chef’s workstation is cooking with gas,
given that gas is among the widely used fuels in restaurants. There might
occur the occasions incidences of gas leakage either due to a faulty gas
line or a team member accidentally leaving the gas on. From this, there
exists risk of an explosion which would definitely lead to extreme injuries
or death of the chef. The use of oil and hot surfaces is also an ergonomic
hazard, which poses the risk of imminent accidental burns to the chef.
While cooking, there could be splashing of the hot oil off the pan, and
other accidents such as a food container or cooking pot slipping while
being handled. Workers who cook in restaurants are especially at risk of
burn injuries while cooking with or cleaning deep fat fryers or vents
above fryers (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2020).
There is also risk of physical stress, arising from the hazard of
having to stand for long hours. It may not be very practical for a chef to
cook while seated, therefore, they are compelled to be on their feet
throughout; a factor that may in the long run cause physical strain on the
body such as the back, knees of waist. Apart from the heat that would be
in the kitchen environment, the hot surfaces present another hazard,
where the chef is at risk of burning while handling the kitchen equipment
or accidentally get into contact with a hot surface while working. It is for
this reason that there needs to be appropriate support for such
incidences, through availability of safety equipment such as gloves and
heat proof pan handles. Gloves, sleeveless, and long aprons. These need
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ERGONOMIC ISSUES
to resist heat and grease to at least 400º F for anyone working with
fryers (Labor Occupational Health Program & Young Workers United,
2010).
Types of Injuries That May Be Caused by The Hazards
Cooking with gas as a hazard has the potential of causing burns to
the body, this is as a result of an explosion that leads to fire. High
temperatures in the kitchen may cause a number of injuries, one of them
being heat stroke. In heat stroke, the affected chef’s body stops properly
functioning with regards to sweating, meaning that the body will be
rendered unable to regulate its own heat for proper and comfortable
functioning. The excess heat may also cause injuries to the bones and
muscles, with side effects such as muscular inflammation. Temperature
and humidity levels can impact the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (The
UC Ergonomics Project Team, 2012). Another injury could be scalding,
which may be caused by hot milk coming into contact with the chef’s
skin. Finally, the chef is also at risk of suffering back and joint injurie,
which could result from factors such as standing for long hours, hence
stressing the back.
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ERGONOMIC ISSUES
References
Foy, T. J. (2015). Managing workplace stress for increased performance
in an Irish higher education institution.
Labor Occupational Health Program & Young Workers United. (2010). A
Menu for Protecting the Health and Safety of Restaurant Workers.
A joint project of the Labor Occupational Health Program at UC
Berkeley and Young Workers United. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA). https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/
files/2018-12/fy10_sh-20864-10_rest_worker_manual.pdf
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (2020). Young
Workers Safety in Restaurants eTool: Cooking-deep fat fryers.
United States Department of Labor.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/youth/restaurant/cooking.html
The UC Ergonomics Project Team. (2012). Ergonomics Study of Dining
Services Positions at The University of California. UCOP Risk
Services-University of California.
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