Labor time code for assembling and microwave heating menu items in a hospital galley.

Abstract

Labor times for microwave-heating activities were developed by using Master Standard Data (MSD). Step 1 involved defining the layout of the actual hospital galley , dividing into small motions the labor activities involved in assembling menu items that would be microwave heated, and identifying basic elements for each motion. Step 2 was the development of seven macro elements under simulated conditions in the laboratory. In step 3, a stopwatch time study in the laboratory was used to verify MSD-predicted times for the seven macro elements. For the final step, a stopwatch time study was conducted under actual operating conditions in a hospital galley . Predicted time derived from laboratory simulation of microwave-heating activities indicated that it should take a foodservice employee 1.71 minutes to assemble menu items from two trays and heat the items by using two microwave ovens . Total labor time for assembling and microwave heating menu items under actual conditions in the hospital galley was similar to MSD-predicted times. Although labor times reported are specific for the cook/chill foodservice system used in this study, the methods and the code may be applied in other hospital foodservices to develop specific labor times for those facilities.