Redesign Of UTeM Cafeteria Workstation For Work Posture Improvement Utilising Ergonimics Simulation Software

In commercial food services, the kitchen workers are exposed to various risks factors. The most common ergonomics risk factors are awkward postures, repetition of the body movement, heat stress, prolonged standing, poor lighting and vigorous vibration. These ergonomics risk factors may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study focuses on kitchen workers daily activities at UTeM cafeteria. In addition, this study analyses the impact of ergonomics risk factors on worker’s postures while performing kitchen daily activities. The aim of this study is to propose a new workstation design at UTeM cafeteria to minimise physical discomfort among kitchen workers. This project started with determining the physical discomfort which influenced worker working posture while performing daily kitchen activities. The physical discomfort was obtained through interview session, workplace observation, literature review and questionnaires survey. This study concluded that most of the respondents always faced severe pain in their upper back and lower back. This is due to kitchen daily activities usually involving repetitive and forceful task where kitchen workers are required to perform the task in prolonged working hours hence lead to the development of muscle fatigue. The effect of ergonomics risk factors on the working posture of UTeM cafeteria kitchen workers while performing daily kitchen activities is determined by analysing the worker posture using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Based on the result obtained, the total score for all working posture for current cooking area involving male and female kitchen workers are high and required immediate improvement. The new design of UTeM cafeteria workstation developed by this study has a sustainability element since it improves the safety and health of the kitchen workers as it can be seen through the reduction of the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) score and positive return of investment (ROI). Meanwhile, this project also suggested further investigation analyse muscle activity while handling cooking materials in prolonged standing posture using surface electromyography (sEMG).