Commentary: Kitchen Safety Tips

Here are a few kitchen safety tips to assist you in the kitchen:

Don’t play in the kitchen- this means any goofing around, especially when the stove is on- I know a lady that turned around from the stove w/a pot of boiling water and her child ran across her path and the hot water spilled down the front of her, burning her hands and the front of her-she has some serious scars
Keep toys and other objects off the floor to prevent fall injuries
Point the knife towards the ground when walking- same rule of thumb with scissors
Don’t cut on a cutting board that moves around on the cupboard- place a damp cloth or no-skid matt underneath
Don’t put a dirty knife in the sink until ready to wash- count the # of knives you put in the sink as you go, that way you know that you have all of them out of the sudsy water
If you bump a knife off of the cabinet, quickly move out of the way and let it fall, don’t try to catch it
Don’t wipe your knife off on your apron while you are wearing it- it can cut your leg (sounds crazy but I know of a chef that did that)
Throw away any utensils and pans that are rusty, chipped or in disrepair- especially any pots and pans that have loose handles- very dangerous!! Purchasing new utensils and pans costs less than a trip to the Dr.!
Use the right tool for the job- I have spoken about using the proper knives for the job in the past- big cutting job- big knife, small cutting job- small knife
Please don’t run your finger down the knife to remove items like chopped herbs, you can cut your finger
Use hot pads in good repair- THROW AWAY all that have holes in them or aren’t really hot pads
Never cover an oil-filled pan to heat it up. Condensation forms on the lid and will start a fire when the lid is lifted. If there is a fire, don’t put the pan in the sink and fill it with water, instead, put the lid back on the pan and remove from heat or smother the flames with baking soda- everyone should have an ABC rated fire extinguisher in their kitchen!
Teach proper use of all equipment and tools in the kitchen to your kids- How you ask? Have them work with you in the kitchen making the meals. Start small- start with a vegetable peeler. Before you know it, your kids will know something about cooking and take more interest in trying new foods (this is a proven fact!)
Turn handles inward when using pots and pans on the stove.
Place hot dishes in the center of the table or counter, not close to the edge.
Don’t store snack foods above the stove. This may encourage climbing.
Don’t let electrical cords dangle over the edge of counter or table.
Keep items that catch fire easily away from stove, toasters and hot plates.
Use only appliances which have a laboratory testing label, e.g.; UL
Do not over load electrical outlets
Do not cook food in metal containers in the microwave. It may cause a fire. If a fire starts, close the door and unplug the cord