How safe is your kitchen? Many people don’t realize how many potential hazards exist in their cooking area. However, it is easy to prevent accidents so here are some tips which will help you avoid injury while cooking:
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Clean as You Go Along
An excellent habit to have as a chef is to clean up after yourself as you cook. This will not only make your cooking easier, but it will also make it safer. If you don’t wipe down your counters and floors after making a spill or a mess, you could easily trip and hurt yourself. Also, if you have chopped raw meat on a cutting board you should always wash the cutting board and the knife before using it to chop anything else such as fruit or cheese.
Leaving Cooking Food Unattended
You might be tempted to leave your rice boiling on the stove while you go watch the rest of your television programme, but did you know that unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires? In fact, three out of every ten home fires start in the kitchen, so it is very important never to leave cooking food unattended. If you have something cooking on the stove or inside the oven you should stay in the room and check on it regularly.
Children and Pets
If you have children and pets in your house, you can be sure that you will find them both underfoot while you are cooking. Children will be interested in what you are doing and your dog will be eagerly hoping that you will drop a morsel on the floor that they can eat! However, having children and pets around the kitchen when you are cooking can be hazardous.
Make sure your pets stay out from underfoot during meal preparation so that you do not trip over them with a hot dish of food in your hands. If you have small children, turn the saucepan handles inward so that children cannot reach then and pull them down from the stove with hot liquid on them.
Electrical Hazards
Another thing to be aware of when cooking is to be careful when using electrical devices. For example, keep your toaster away from the water and make sure that the cord is not frayed before using it. Never ever try to remove a stuck piece of toast from a toaster with a fork while it is plugged in.
Don’t use any electrical appliance, such as a kettle, blender, or mixer by the sink. If it falls in it can electrocute anyone nearby.
Knife Safety
Many chefs will have extremely sharp knifes which are used for chopping and preparing food. However, these knifes can be dangerous if not handled properly and accidental cuts are a very common safety hazard in kitchens. Make sure that you always cut away from your body when you are using a knife in case it slips and cuts you. You should also avoid putting your knives in the sink underneath the soapy water. Not only does this dull the blade and make your knife more effective, it can also be dangerous when you reach into the sink of soapy water without seeing the sharp knife!
These are just a few things to remember to ensure that you are safe when working in your kitchen.
Proper kitchen safety is very important! One of the aspects taught in most cooking schools is how to make sure that you are safe while cooking.
