My grandfather used to say you had to sharpen your kitchen
knives often. You were more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife slipping
about on the food than a sharp one that went where you wanted it. He probably
had something there.
About 18% of home accidents are in the kitchen. 14% of
kitchen accidents are from trying out new recipes. Apparently we are taken with
how the TV chefs slice and dice stuff, and we soon find out we are not TV
chefs! Unfortunately, some of us find that out with blood involved.
How can you keep safer in the kitchen? Of course the obvious
stuff about looking for frayed electrical cords and keeping said cords away
from water and putting in GCFI outlets you are already doing.
Same with not leaving pan unattended on the stove or adding
water to a bunch of oil in a skillet or never forgetting to turn off the stove
after cooking. You’re doing all that. So what else?
1) When I place tableware and cooking utensils in the sink
for washing, I always put them in the same way. That way I am less likely to
get stabbed by a tine. I keep the knives on the counter and clean them
separately. I put all utensils at the front of the sink pointy ends to the
left.
2) If you get a bad burn, cut a cold tomato in half and
cover the burn. It helps! Or hold it under cool running water. Do not put on
ice, butter, or Vaseline.
3) Immediately after dropping something on the floor or
spilling something, wipe/pick it up. If you decide to get it later, you may be
down on the floor before you can get to it.
4) Use a sturdy stepladder to reach things up high. Do not
stand on boxes, chairs, or counters.
5) Minimize the chances of catching fire: tie back your
hair, avoid loose/flowing tops, rollup your sleeves, and tuck in loose
clothing. You also are less likely to get food stains with this tip. And you
never lean across a burner, do you?
6) Keep knives and other pointy things in a knife caddy or
put a cork over the sharp end if keeping in a drawer.
7) Turn pot handles in so they aren’t accidentally bumped or
grabbed by a curious child.
8) Make sure your fire extinguisher is easily accessible in
the kitchen and fully charged. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, baking
soda or salt might help with the fire. Keep a lid nearby to smother flames.
9) Always use a cutting board instead of slicing those
bagels or cutting apples in your hands. It’s too easy to slip.
10) Don’t dig your toast or bagel out of the toaster with a
metal fork. Duh!
11) Don’t touch the blades of an electrical appliance while
it is plugged in. Even if the appliance is off, it is too easy for it to be
turned on.
12) It is better to keep kids and pets out of the kitchen
while you are cooking so you don’t trip over them or spill something on them.
13) Don’t cook barefoot or in sandals. People have dropped
knives on their feet or caught a frozen package from a badly organized freezer.
14) Keep a first aid kit in the kitchen so you don’t have to
trail blood through the house looking for a band-aid.
15) Never use a wet potholder. It conducts the heat rather
than insulating.
Please stay safe in the kitchen and make sure others do as
well. This is a happy place. It shouldn’t be the cause of so much misery. Hsppy
and safe cooking until we meet again.
Here are some resources I used:
http://chefsblade.monster.com/benefits/articles/1250-7-crazy-kitchen-accidents?page=9
http://www.ehow.com/how_2081662_prevent-kitchen-accidents.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/safety-in-the-kitchen-5-common-kitchen-accidents-and-how-to-avoid-them/index.html
http://www.cookingmanager.com/ten-tips-preventing-kitchen-accidents/
http://www.divinecaroline.com/38/50569-avoiding-accidents-kitchen
