Autogrill

Autogrill eating establishments are there for people on the move: at airports, railway stations and along motorways. At Brussels Airport, travellers can dine at the chain’s seafood restaurant Black Pearls, which was moved to a new location in the spring of 2015. To make the restaurant a success for guests and staff alike, the company decided to call on Mensura’s expertise in ergonomics.

The well-being of their workers is just as important to Autogrill as the well-being of customers. That is why the company relies on the services provided by Mensura. Site visits, occupational health services, fire prevention studies, stress surveys and a targeted action plan for workplace stress: with these custom projects and solutions, Mensura ensures a successful outcome.

Autogrill has called on Mensura several times over the years for advice on ergonomic fit-outs, but this is the first time ergonomic experts were involved from the early design stages onwards. Internal prevention advisor Hans van Zundert: “With every new construction project, it is important to get it right from the start. By partnering with Mensura, we can rest assured that the restaurant fit-out will be ergonomically sound.”
 

Head of Ergonomics Dirk Delaruelle: “Ergonomic expert Ruth Costers first visited and examined the existing restaurant. She talked to our staff about the positives and negatives of the location, and she took photos of the work processes used. Based on her findings and the existing design, we formulated around twenty proposals for improvements.”

The team of ergonomic experts discussed these proposals with the architect, the project manager and the internal prevention advisor at a multidisciplinary meeting. The majority of suggestions were immediately incorporated in the construction plans, while the remaining changes were carried out at a later stage.

Hans van Zundert: “Two months after the new restaurant opened its doors, the ergonomic experts returned for a follow-up visit. They found that our employees were very pleased with the results, as were we. That is why we have decided to use the services of Mensura’s ergonomics team for every new establishment we will open, such as the new beer café and our new Italian trattoria AMO.”

“These ergonomic improvements make a world of difference”, Hans van Zundert points out. “Our staff can now easily walk past one another thanks to the wide passage behind the counters. The built-in soup warmers make serving soup to customers a lot easier on the arms.” Another coffee machine was added to reduce the walking distance for each cup of coffee. The new location for the commercial dishwasher ensures that the corridor is kept clear. And by adjusting some of the work methods used in the freezer section, workers won’t need to bend down so much. Even small-scale ergonomic solutions can have a major positive impact.  

“The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive”, Hans van Zundert concludes. “It was a smooth process thanks to Mensura’s personal and customer-driven approach. All deadlines and agreements were met, and we really enjoyed working with the team at Mensura. We will definitely be using their services again!”