Height Adjustable Worktops Are Praised in New Research

Guderup, May 8, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​​​​Washing, rinsing, cutting, preparing. The activities in the kitchen are varied and in many kitchens, it is not comfortable and ergonomic to perform these activities. The reason: The kitchen worktops are rarely in the height at which you can work ergonomically. Electric height adjustable kitchens not only provide better ergonomics, but above all, they provide better ergonomics in the kitchen.

This is the result of a study by the Technical University of Darmstadt. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder, the institute of Work Science examined how the possibility of the variable change of the working heights in kitchens affects the work.

Is a height adjustable kitchen suitable to compensate for the users’ differences in size? How does the adjustment affect the comfort of the different activities? These questions were the focus of the study that was divided in a theoretical and a practical part.

In the theoretical part, by means of a simulation based on the 3D human model RAMSIS, the researchers examined how different working heights can compensate for the different sizes of users. In kitchens, there are only fixed working heights today. If the working height e.g. is optimal for a woman of 1.70 metres, how convenient or inconvenient it must be for a man of 1.90 metres. It is most convenient, when the upper body is not bent more than 6 degrees forward while working.

The diffraction of the neck should not be greater than 15 degrees. For comparison of the extreme, the researchers measured the standard size of a very small German woman and of a very tall German man. The calculated ideal working height for the woman is 950 millimetres, while the ideal working height for the man is 1150 millimetres. The result of the research: Due to the flexible adjustment of 100 millimetres of the working height, average size differences well can be compensated and everyone works in an ergonomically sensible posture.

„However, if a very small German woman and a very tall German man become a couple, an adjustment range of 100 millimetres is not enough to provide ideal conditions for both of them in all situations“, explains Dr. Michaela Kauer, Project Manager of the research. Even if an adjustment of 100 millimetres does not provide ergonomically ideal conditions in this extreme case, it would be an enormous comfort gain for both of them compared to a fixed working height. Because in the case of a rigid height, the flexion of the upper body of the tall person would be an almost painful experience.

„An adjustment range of 100 millimetres is most useful placed in the range from 900 to 1000 millimetres, as small persons can arrange the optimal working heights in the three typical work situations, rinsing, cutting and stirring”, says Dr. Kauer. With this adjustment range, tall persons can create much better conditions than currently as the fixed height is usually adapted to the smallest person. Especially for tall persons the possibility of adjustment provides a real gain in comfort.

That is the theory. However, how does it work in practice? What experiences have users of an electric height adjustable worktop? How do they feel the theoretically calculated gain in comfort? To answer these questions, 59 volunteers were asked to prepare a salad at a cooking island with an electrically adjustable worktop. Therefore, they had to cut, rinse and wash. The persons were first to work at a fixed ergonomic height.

Hereafter, in the second stage, they were able to adjust the height individually for each activity. The result is clear: 76 percent of the volunteers would like to buy a height adjustable kitchen for their own households. 72 percent of the respondents said that at least two persons used their kitchen at home.

In the final evaluation, the electric adjustable kitchen was clearly in favor of the volunteers. 55 of 59 persons chose the adjustable kitchen as number 1, followed by the ergonomically correct set, but rigid working height. Their own kitchen at home was relegated to the third place.

„In the survey with the volunteers it was discovered that very few working heights for their own kitchens were correctly calculated. Apparently, ergonomics is still thought too little of when buying a kitchen“, says Dr. Kauer.

The conclusion of the study: „Height adjustable kitchens can help improve the posture at various activities and make a kitchen comfortably usable for multiple persons and multiple activities.“

For more information about LINAK and Baselift:​​
- http://www.linak.com/deskline/?id3=7660
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