Top Kitchen Safety Tips

Keep small appliances unplugged
If you start to clean an appliance like your food processor or can opener, for instance, and accidentally hit a button you won’t be in danger of losing a finger — only if it’s unplugged. Likewise, curious children (and pets) are less likely to be injured when they poke around.


Turn pot handles away from yourself
Pot handles that jut out over the edge of the stove are a kitchen safety hazard. Avoid dangerous spills and burns by turning pot handles away from yourself when you cook — either towards the back of the stove or towards the kitchen counters.

Use potholders
Don’t try to pick up a hot pot or cookie sheet without potholders — that’s the quickest way to get a nasty burn. And when you aren’t using your potholders, keep them away from open flames.


Kitchen safety and food contamination:

Disinfect regularly:
Dirty kitchen surfaces and utensils are a big kitchen safety hazard. Regularly disinfect surfaces like refrigerator shelves, kitchen counters, and kitchen cabinets to keep stored food safe. And wash your utensils in warm, soapy water. Don’t forget about cutting boards, a common bacteria breeding ground. Disinfect boards regularly with diluted bleach solution and replace them when they are worn.

Wash your hands before and during food prep:
Most people know to wash their hands before preparing food, but many forget about washing their hands during cooking. If you touch your cell phone or another bacteria-ridden surface while you’re cooking, you could pass that bacteria on to the food you’re making.

Pay attention to clothing:
Loose or dangling clothing poses a kitchen safety hazard: it can contaminate your food, get stuck in appliances, or catch on fire. Tie back long hair, wear short sleeves, and take off any dangling jewelry before you cook.

Wear gloves over wounds:
A wound — whether big or small — can contaminate your food. Keep food safe by wearing a glove over a band-aid when you have a cut or wound on your hand.

Use proper food storage techniques:
Even if you’re scrupulously clean when you prepare food, it can go bad quickly if you don’t use proper food storage methods.

Dealing with kitchen fires

Get a fire extinguisher:
Having a fire extinguisher on hand will help you avert disaster. Just make sure you know how to use it so that you’ll be quick in a high-pressure situation. And be sure to store the fire extinguisher in an area away from the stove — the most likely kitchen fire culprit — so you’ll be able to grab it safely.

Don’t put water on a grease fire:
Pouring water on a grease fire will only make the grease splash and the fire spread. Use your fire extinguisher or baking soda to put out this type of kitchen fire if you can’t put a lid on the flames. And whatever you do, don’t carry a flaming pot outside — you’ll risk turning a kitchen fire into a house fire.

Keep your face clear of alcohol flames:
Before you pour alcohol on any pan, move the pan off the heat and keep your face clear.

Don’t leave pots unattended:
Unattended pots are the number one cause of kitchen fires.

Avoiding common kitchen injuries

Sharpen knives regularly:
Dull knives actually cause more injuries. The duller a knife is, the more force you’ll have to use to get through an object. You have less chance of cutting yourself if you use a sharp knife that cuts easily.

Store knives away from children:
Drawers or magnetic strips far from the reach of small arms are the best knife storage options.

Exercise caution with peppers: Wear gloves when working with hot peppers and avoid touching your face. This way you’ll keep capsaicin — the burning chemical in peppers — from causing you discomfort.

Kitchen safety is mainly common sense. Keep these tips in mind, and keep yourself from being one of the million people who head to the emergency room with kitchen-related injuries each year.


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