The kitchen, for many, is the heart of the house. It is the place where families get together and enjoy meal times. It is a time of bonding and family time. A kitchen is a place where people get their daily sustenance.
As important as it is in a home, the kitchen is also a source of many accidents. Research indicates that nearly 75% of all house fires begin in the kitchen—injuries from using knives in the kitchen total 350,000 people annually.
Aside from possibly containing gas appliances, the kitchen has sharp knives, electrical appliances, and a constant water supply.
This means there is plenty of opportunities for getting hurt. Whether burning, cutting, electrocution, or falling due to a wet floor, the kitchen has much potential for accidents and injuries.
10 Kitchen Safety Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy
Despite the dangers, avoiding severe injuries in the kitchen is not difficult. All it takes is following a few simple safety tips to keep you and your family safe. These include:
Keeping The Kitchen Clean And Dry
A kitchen is a place where food is prepared and consumed. This means that high levels of hygiene need to be maintained. Food preparation must begin with washing hands, and all utensils you use should be cleaned.
Aside from keeping the kitchen clean to prevent cross-contamination, clean-up also decreases the chances of slips and falls. Wiping the counters and floors dry reduces accidents and keeps you and your family safe.
This is especially important to remember considering that 40% of all falls result in a need to visit the hospital.
Take Precautions Against Burns
Working in the kitchen can mean getting burns. Cooking involves working at high temperatures. Never rush when handling hot pots and pans. Being in a hurry can make people clumsy and increase the chance of dropping or spilling.
Always keep oven mitts or silicon gloves made to handle hot utensils nearby. It is easy to forget and accidentally touch a heated surface, like a pot handle.
Check Gas Fittings And Appliances
Most people make use of gas stoves and burners in the kitchen. Aside from constantly checking to see whether all the burners are turned off, it is also essential to check your gas connections.
It is highly recommended that you acquire a gas safety cp12 certificate yearly. The certificate is given after a thorough inspection of all gas connections on a property.
Additional gas safety measure includes installing a carbon monoxide sensor. This device detects a gas leak and raises the alarm. It is an effective way to alert a potential gas leak.
Be Careful Around Knives
Knives are one of the most common kitchen utensils. It is a valuable tool that is utilized for a while variety of different jobs. Knives are also very dangerous, primarily when handled by an untrained individual. It is better to get some training in handling a knife before using a very sharp blade.
Try cutting, chopping, dicing, and slicing using a practice knife before buying a chef’s knife. Knives should be stored carefully. They should be included in the open, where children can reach them easily.
Once cleaned and dried, always put away knives inside drawers. It is better if it is a drawer that children cannot reach easily.
Dress Appropriately
You may be wondering if there is a dress code for the kitchen. The answer is optional; you are not required to don a chef’s hat or apron to be allowed to enter the kitchen. However, there are some essential rules you need to follow.
Always keep hair pulled back and tied securely. Loose hair can catch fire if you are not careful. This is also applicable to clothing. Clothes loose and hanging can catch fire or, at the very least, get in your food. This is why wear clothes that fit correctly.
Create A Barrier
Children, especially toddlers and pets, have no business coming into the kitchen. Install a short gate or another barrier to block entry into the kitchen. Not only are children and pets clumsy and chaotic, but their presence also tends to make adults work in the kitchen distracted.
This is a recipe for disaster. Feed your children or pets near the kitchen, not inside. Many kitchens have a counter as a boundary, which is a good idea.
Keep Things Organized
Having things organized and clearly labelled in the kitchen is not just practical; it is also a protective measure. With all the labelled spices, condiments, and cooking supplies, it is hard to make mistakes, even if you rush things.
You want to avoid mixing up things like salt, sugar, cinnamon powder, or allspice powder. Some ingredients are only safe in small quantities. Cinnamon powder is an excellent example of this.
Have First Aid Nearby
Keep a first aid kit near at hand. Please put it in a kitchen cupboard where you excess it easily in the case of an emergency. Put all the basic first-aid requirements in the kit. These include bandages, ointments, a cream for burns, alcohol swabs, or antiseptic solutions to clean wounds.
Get A Mini Fire Extinguisher
The possibility of a fire breaking out in the kitchen is the highest compared to all other rooms in the house. So, if you want to get a fire extinguisher, put it in the kitchen. Even getting a small fire extinguisher will do the job since this will help to contain the fire if you act quickly.
Strict Implementation Of Kitchen Rules
It is only enough to implement kitchen safety rules if these are followed through regularly. Refrain from being lax in the implementation of kitchen safety rules. Apply them all the time. You cannot become complacent because you never know when an accident may occur. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Kitchen Safety Is House Safety
Ensuring your kitchen is a safe place to work is essential. Many people spend much of their time at home in their kitchen. This is why kitchen safety is equivalent to house safety.
One should feel safe and protected inside one’s own house. A house is a place of relaxation, peace, and privacy. It should not be a place where you or your family may be in danger. Kitchen safety involves following a few simple safety rules. There is not much to it.