Safe, ergonomic working conditions have long been a “must” in any commercial kitchen, yet many operations continue to cut corners. Of course, they often find that the decision comes back to haunt them—after all, the real victims of this cost-cutting policy are the kitchen staff.
Orthopedic surgeons see it day after day: it starts with back pain and, in the worst-case scenario, ends with a herniated disk. It’s no wonder that bone and muscle problems are one of the most common reasons for missing work among gastronomy professionals. Frantically working to prepare and serve food, slippery floors, inflexible work surfaces, lifting and carrying heavy pots... just a few of the many dangers facing kitchen staff every day.
But many of those risk factors are easier than ever to avoid. Just keep a few factors in mind when purchasing new kitchen equipment—the right technology can make all the difference. For example, RATIONAL’s team of globally renowned specialists in thermic food preparation place special importance on ergonomic details when developing the company’s two equipment lines. They can help minimize these five risk factors:
The VarioCookingCenter®, a multifunctional appliance that replaces both tilting fryers and boilers, features a built-in lifting and lowering mechanism. The pasta comes out of the water automatically, while the boiling water flows out through the fixed drain connection. No heavy living, no risk of scalding.
Many cooks suffer from vascular problems as a result of spending so much time standing on grates, with hot steam rising continually from the floor drain. The VarioCookingCenter® has an integrated water drain that makes floor drains unnecessary - no more slipping and sliding on wet floors.
Unlike on most conventional appliances, the side walls of VarioCookingCenter® pan remain cool, so cooks no longer have to worry about burning themselves, particularly on their forearms.
Cleaning the RATIONAL SelfCookingCenter® requires just a cleaning tab and a descaling tab - about the same as a household dishwasher. Kitchen staff are no longer at risk of breathing in harsh chemicals, getting them in their eyes, or otherwise accidentally coming into contact with them.