The effect of working height on the loading of the muscular and skeletal systems in the kitchens of workplace canteens.

Arising from the confirmed high incidence of illness and other signs and symptoms, estimations were made of the loading on the muscular and skeletal systems of kitchen workers. The study included a health questionnaire and the ergonomics examination of 11 kitchens. Problems in the neck-shoulders region appeared particularly frequently in short workers. The symptoms were confirmed to be associated with the raised position of the upper limbs caused by working surfaces which were too high. The worktable with the cutting board was too high for a third of the workers, estimated from individual elbow height. Also, 34-80% of the kitchen equipment was too high. Raising loads above shoulder level into ovens or pressure cookers, for example, loaded the shoulder joints. The back was loaded especially in lifting to knee height and in continuous standing (78% of working time). Loading can be modified by fitting the kitchen with working tables which are adjustable for height (800-950 mm) and by lowering kitchen equipment as follows: cooker height 650 mm, cooking vessel rim height from the floor < 900 mm, oven and pressure cooker rail heights 500-1400 mm.