Ergonomics

Ergonomics is important when considering the preparation of a meal. As I am sure that most people are familiar with it becomes very hard to undertake cooking in an unfamiliar environment, as this means that extra time is spent looking for items and also compensating ways in which one is familiar with performing particular tasks. A clear example of this for me was when i moved out of home at the start of this year and chose to flat. A smaller and unfamiliar kitchen meant that i had to get used to the environment before I could gain full benefit from it. It was also hard as I had limited equipment which was different to the stuff I had used at home which meant I had to complete my meals in a different way to what is considered 'normal'. Dul, J. & Weerdmeester, B. (2008) states that ergonomics aims to design appliances, technical systems and tasks, in such a way to improve human safety, comfort and performance. It is through consideration of all three of the following aspects that optimal performance can be achieved by an individual.   (Bryant,& McKay ,2005).
Person:

Although I am no master chef I am more than competent when it comes to cooking. This is most probably due to the fact that my mum taught me from a young age and now I am forced cook myself as my flatmates and I all choose to cook our own meals.  One of the main problems that I face around cooking is time.  I often find that I am very busy and tend to be pushed for time this is why I often make a lot of stir fry meals as they are quick and easy. While thinking about cooking on the whole I do somewhat view it as a chore which at times I fail to carry out due to laziness, however as I do a lot of physical activity have well cooked meals is an accentual part of my life in order to gain maximal energy and performance levels.   

Occupation:

The occupation of cooking requires an individual to combine and assortment of ingredients in order to achieve an overall outcome of a good tasting meal. There are many ways to perform such tasks and it is most likely that no individual will prepare the meal in identical ways. In regards to time I try to make my cooking experiences as quick and time efficient as possible. This is due to the fact that I tend to be extremely busy and do not have the time to spend hours slaving over the kitchen.  The overall aspect of cooking is able to easily be adapted to suit the level of ability by the individual, the time constraints and the individuals personal preference.

Environment:

The Kitchen environment has a huge impact on one’s ability to perform cooking tasks. As I am a student and live in a student flat will an extremely small kitchen there are several limitations. One of the biggest limitations is the limited bench space which is present. This often means we have to limited the types of food that I cook and the number of people of whom I cater for.  One of the other environmental considerations that I have to take in to consideration within my cooking is the season in which such things as vegetables and fruit are in. This can be an issue as at particular times of the year it can be hard or expensive to buy certain items which therefore can limit dishes that I may choose to cook.

Small Kitchen Video a way to get around some of the enviromental problems.

References:

 Dul, J. & Weerdmeester, B. (2008). Ergonomics for beginners: A quick reference guide. (3^rd ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: Taylor & Francis

Bryant, W. & McKay E. (2005). 'What’s cooking? Theory and Practice in the kitchen. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(2), 67-74.