Ergonomic Kitchen Design and Work Space

Every Working Kitchen Needs Ergonomic Design and Ample Work Space

As many as 36% of carpal tunnel cases require long-term, ongoing care, according to a CDC study. Among the most common occupations that lead to this kind of overuse condition are Chefs and cafeteria workers. Even for the home chef, repetitive motions and other stressors can lead to problems down the road. An ergonomic kitchen design & work space, however, can do a lot to help. With the right tools, and possibly a kitchen re-design, you can use ergonomics to reduce the risk of overuse injuries as well as other kitchen dangers.
Create Space To Move
One major contributor to strain is not having enough space to move. If you’re trying to cook in a space that’s too small, or with obstacles in your way, you’ll be at greater risk, thanks to a reduced range of motion in this non ergonomic work space. If you find yourself using restrained motions while chopping or whisking, it’s time to think about rearranging the kitchen to be more ergonomic and user friendly. You should aim to create counter space with room to move around it, as well as open walkways between work spaces. Strain isn’t the only risk: many people get injured in kitchens by walking into appliances and other obstacles. Simply cleaning up clutter is a great way to start, but you can consider moving cabinets as well, especially overhead cabinets that might be blocking work areas. Another option would be adding an island countertop that you can move around in all directions and position where most useful during meal preparation helping to create an ergonomic kitchen design.
Designate Work Areas
A crowded kitchen can cause other problems too. Burns and cuts account for the vast majority of kitchen injuries, and a crowded work space makes it easier to bump into, drop, or otherwise mishandle dangerous tools and appliances. So, when redesigning your kitchen with ergonomics in mind, you want to think carefully about creating set work spaces. Be sure to have enough room to safely accomplish your kitchen task with all appliances in there optimal place for a better ergonomic kitchen design and work space. One tip is to organize your appliances and other tools by how you use them. Quick-access designs, like magnetic knife racks, can help too. You can even rewire your kitchen to group outlets where you need them, reducing the risks posed by long cords, and eliminating the need for awkward motions when using plugged-in devices.
Ergonomic Kitchen Tools And Devices
Finally, replacing your knives and other implements with ergonomic designs can cut down significantly on strain. Better-designed handles not only reduce strain, but also give you more control and ease of use. Start with the knives you use the most, and keep phasing in more ergonomic kitchen design where you can. Even without a full remodel, you can make your kitchen a lot easier and safer to use with a few well-designed replacements.

​Ergo Chef knives were designed with proper ergonomics in mind.  It all began with our Pro-Series Chef knife pictured here.
Review our past article on Knife Safety in Your Kitchen
To get your kitchen up to high quality ergonomic cutlery standards, please have a closer look at our lines at ErgoChef.com We offer a 30 day Satisfaction money back guarantee and a Lifetime Limited Warranty on our Pro-Series, G10 Crimson, Shinzui and the all new Guy Fieri Knuckle Sandwich knife.

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