Kitchen Safety By: Laura Glantzberg

Kitchen Safety The most common injuries in the kitchen include burns, injuries from slips/trips/falls, cuts, strains, and electrical shock. The best way to eliminate or minimize injury in the kitchen is to always follow safety procedures, know what to do in an emergency, and always be on the lookout for potential hazards.

It can happen to YOU! The kitchen is one of the most dangerous places in the house. There are several precautions to take to prevent you from being another kitchen accident statistic.

Most Importantly… Know the safety practices! Use the safety practices!

Kitchen Rules to Follow: Loose sleeves- loose sleeves can catch fire or get caught in appliances. Long hair or jewelry- long hair should be tied back and jewelry should be removed to keep it from being caught in machinery (and for sanitary reasons). Foodborne Illness- be sure to wash your hands often while in the kitchen CLEANCLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often. SEPARATESEPARATE: Don’t cross contaminate COOKCOOK: To proper temperatures CHILLCHILL: Refrigerate promptly

Don’t forget! Keep the handles of pots and pans turned inward and away from traffic. Open pot lids away from you when you are cooking on a stovetop. Open oven door all the way when pulling out baked products Wear slip-resistant shoes in order to prevent falling. When reaching for something on the top shelf, use a stool! Close all cupboard/cabinet doors – so you don’t bang your head! Ouch!

The Truth About Knives Knives cause more severe injuries than any other hand tool. Carry the knife tip pointed down at the side of your body. A dull knife slips more easily than a sharp knife. Always cut away from your body. When a knife starts to fall, let it! Always pick up a knife by its handle. Always slice, chop, cut or dice foods on a cutting board. Wash sharp knives separately. Do not simply drop knives into the dishwater. Always cut food with the blade of the knife down and slanting away from you.

Preventing Injuries from Glass If a glass breaks in soapy water, drain the water before attempting to clean up any of the glass. If there is broken glass on the floor, use a broom and dust pan to clean it up. (Never try to pick it up with bare hands.) Then use a damp paper towel to pick up shards.

Fire Safety for the Kitchen Overloaded circuits can potentially cause fires. Electricity and Water do not mix! If there’s a fire in your oven, close the oven door and turn off the heat. If a pan is on fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan tightly. –Do NOT try to carry the pan outside! To extinguish a fire, use a fire blanket, fire extinguisher, or baking soda. How to put out a grease firewww.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bvwtr6mdF0

Ways to prevent burns and fires Use dry pot holders when handling hot items. Do not leave pot holders near a hot burner. Turn handles of pans so they don’t stick out over the edge of the range or over other burners. Always lift the lids of saucepans away from you so the steam will not burn you. Do not reach across hot burners or lit gas burners. Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen and know how to use it! If you have a grease fire, immediately put the lid on the pan. If this doesn’t work, smother the fire with salt, baking soda, sand or a fire extinguisher. When you have finished cooking, make sure all oven and range buttons or dials are turned off.

More Reminders Use a plexiglass or plastic cutting boards instead of a wooden one. Wooden cutting boards are more porous which can harbor more germs. When lifting something heavy, bend your knees and use your legs, not your back. Before operating any kitchen equipment, read the instruction manual. Before cleaning or moving kitchen equipment, unplug it. When unplugging an appliance, pull the plug NOT the cord.