Term Paper on "Children's Ergonomics in UK Leisure Centres"

Term Paper 10 pages (3356 words) Sources: 5 Style: Harvard

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Children's Ergonomics in UK Recreation Centres

Recreation is a very important part of human life. It is an important way to alleviate stress and reconnect with the body's need for relaxation and non-work related physical activity. This is why it is also vital to ensure that all sectors of the community can benefit from their use of recreation centres. Recreation centres, as places of business, should therefore focus on the specific needs of the diverse societies they serve. Hence age, disability issues, and dependents should be taken into account when designing recreation centres.

Ergonomic Needs

Specific people taking advantage of a recreation centre's services may for example include: children of various age groups, adults of various ages, mothers, the aged, and physically or mentally disabled people. Each of these groups has their own needs and requirements. It is important to ensure that every person participating in the recreation centre and its activities does so with the ultimate satisfaction.

Children from 5 to 8 years would for example have needs such as facilities that cater for their limited size. Shallow pools, smaller tennis courts, light-weight equipment and lower drinking fountains are examples of these. They would also require adult supervision and adult-led activities in order to ensure their safety and enjoyment at all times. At the same time, supervision by a professional adult would reassure parents of their children's safety. Children aged form 9-12 years would still require a fair amount of adult supervision, although in certain activities they might be given more autonomy and/or responsibility. This depends upon their age - a child of nine years old would be slightly young to leave completely alone during an activity. These children can then also be provided with more challenging equipment and activities.

The Magnum Recreation Centre (Ayrshire Leisure, 2006-2007), offers many activities targeted specifically at children of specific age groups. The Kids Health & Fitness Centre for example offers equipment modified for children of 6-11 years old, including treadmills, exercise bikes and games. The Shokk Fitness Centre caters for kids between 11-16 years, with a mix of weights and other equipment. This caters specifically to those who wish to make their fitness experience a pleasant one. Finally, the Soft Play facility caters to children of all ages, with a variety of fun activities and equipment.

Teenagers and young adults from 17 to 21 years can be given access to certain adult equipment and activities, also depending upon their specific age groups. They can for example have access to the normal swimming pools, tennis courts, team sports and other equipment.

It should be taken into account that new mothers may not always have the resources or wish to leave their babies or young children at home. A recreation centre should therefore also incorporate facilities such as daycare and special activities for very young children. These can then include television, story reading, and play equipment such as plastic swings and balls for young children. It should be ensured that all this equipment is safe to use, durable, and in good repair at all times. Furthermore, mothers require special facilities in terms of baby changing rooms and breastfeeding space. The recreation centre should be easily accessible for mothers with baby carriages, limiting environmental barriers such as swing doors and stairs.

With all the special equipment and space provided to people with special needs, the needs of average, able-bodied adults should not be overlooked. A recreation centre is just as its name suggests, a place where people from all areas of life can relax and enjoy all the activities offered to them. No person should therefore be inconvenienced or stressed as a result of adjustments made for a specific sector of the clientele. Hence, to ensure the comfort of adults using the facilities, very young children should at all times be supervised within their allocated space. Older children who are in a position to use their own facilities should also not be positioned too close to the adult facilities, so that the noise level will not be disturbing to adult users.

The ergonomic needs of adults should also be ensured in terms of modifiable gym equipment and comfortable rest and waiting space when these are required. Facilities and equipment should always be in good repair.

For the aged and pensioners, low-impact activities such as walking and swimming can be provided at specific times. To ensure maximum enjoyment, these activities should cater for the utmost physical comfort of the participants. Walking activities should for example take place on level trails, with plenty of comfortable resting benches and water fountains available on the way. These walking activities can also be offered at a variety of lengths, so that those finding themselves more energetic can gain full enjoyment from their participation. Swimming and low-impact aerobics can also be offered for these users. Medical and emergency facilities should also be available for the aged at all times to ensure their optimal safety and peace of mind.

For the purpose of this document, "physically disabled" people will refer to those with a disability relating to their limbs, i.e. persons with non-functioning arms or legs. Specific facilities and activities need to be designed for these people. Wheel chair access and disability bathroom facilities for example need to be established for the comfort and safety of the physically disabled. They can for example take part in low-impact activities designed specifically for the muscles they have at their disposal. Furthermore, for those with crutches or wheelchairs, access to all facilities should be provided by means of automatic doors, wide entrances, ramps and lifts. For those without the use of their arms or hands, equipment can be specifically designed to facilitate their participation in activities. Door handles on bathroom facilities and other entrances should also be modified in such a way that these people can enjoy easy access (Report of the Head of Property Services, 2004).

Mentally disabled people are equally important in the leisure industry, and special services should be available to them as well. These could include clear and easy to understand signs, pointing towards activities and facilities of various sorts. Clear instructions should also be available in the use and operation of equipment at the gym, for example. Specially trained personnel should be available at prominent spots in order to help the mentally disabled find their way around the facilities.

Persons with hearing or sight impairment problems can also be helped in a variety of ways. For partially sighted or colourblind persons, for example, clear, contrasting colors should be used on signs. These should be large enough for easy reading by those with a visual disability. For the blind, entrances and pathways should have prominent physical barriers such as railings or pavements, for easy use by a person with a walking stick. Guide dogs should also be accommodated by the facility. Furthermore, Braille signs can be provided at all locations, so that blind persons can find their way easily. These Braille signs should all include clear directions towards the help desk, should this be required. Guides can also provide these persons with help to reach the appropriate location of exercising facilities. These guides can help blind persons use facilities such as gym equipment and hiking trails. For hearing impaired persons, sing language interpreters can be employed in order to make their experience more enjoyable. Such persons can then be used in areas such as spinning and yoga classes, as well as during informative trails, where a hiking guide is used to impart information to the hikers.

2. Integration of Ergonomic Needs

The local authority should firstly be very aware of the various ergonomic needs in the vicinity of the facility. It is vitally important that targeted ergonomic modifications be incorporated in the leisure facility in order to ensure the quality of the experience, as well as safety, for all involved (Report of the Head of Property Services, 2004).

To integrate the various needs, an estimation should be made of which activities need to be separated from the mainstream activities in order to ensure enjoyment and comfort for all involved. This should be done in such a way that no person is inconvenienced or feels singled out for the sake of a disability or age issue. Separation of activities should therefore be done with sensitivity and care.

Various levels in the same building can for example be used to house activities for a variety of persons. People with physical disabilities can then be housed at the bottom floor to ensure easy access and comfort. The disability bathrooms and dressing rooms should also be located here. Since Braille writing is not likely to inconvenience anyone, items in this writing can be located… READ MORE

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