The kitchen is probably the most dangerous room in your home when you consider the sharp objects, electrical equipment and naked flames that are regularly encountered in this area. Whether yours is complete with all the modern accessories or if it’s in need of a refit, safety in this area should never be taken for granted.

Check out the quick guide below for some simple ways to improve safety while you are cooking and preparing food.

Use knives safely

Most people have been injured by a cooking knife at some point and even the smallest cuts can be painful so avoiding accidents is the only way to avoid serious injuries. Storing your knives properly is vital to protecting people from cuts. Although it’s easy to throw sharp knives in the cutlery draw this could lead to injuries if people don’t realise or forget these knives are stored there. Knife blocks or magnetic knife racks are ideal for storing sharp knives in a visible and safe place, well away from the reach of children. Sharpening your knives regularly will mean that they can glide through meat and vegetables and not slip off and cut your fingers instead. If you drop a knife on the floor make sure you ignore the impulse to catch it and stand back instead. You may naturally reach out to grab the knife but it’s much safer to let it hit the floor, be sure to move your feet well out of the way though!

Implement fire safety

No other space in your home will see quite so much heat and naked flames as your cooking area. There are also a lot of fuels in this area to make fires burn out of control or cause explosions such as hot cooking oil or gas from hobs and the oven. When you’re heating oil on the hob, make sure you stay with it as within seconds hot oil can go from a death trap for vegetables to a death trap for the members of your household. Hot oil can burst into flames if it’s heated for too long. If this situation happens then if it’s safe to do so, cover the pan with a damp tea towel. Throwing water directly onto a hot oil fire can cause a potentially devastating explosion.

Another element which doesn’t mix so well with water is electricity. Avoid accidents by keeping your electrical items such as kettles well away from the sink so water can’t be accidentally sprayed onto them. Don’t let electrical cords from kitchen equipment drape over the oven, toaster or microwave as heat could build up and even burn through the cord. Consider investing in some extra fire safety equipment such as extinguishers or a fire blanket so if an emergency situation does happen you can deal with it safely.

Have your electrical equipment serviced regularly or treat yourself to a new washing machine or cooker if yours have seen better days. Many new models of appliances come with added safety features and can help improve the overall safety of your food preparation area.

About the Author:

Steven Holmes

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Top Safety Tips for Your Kitchen

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