Kitchen Safety Kitchen and cooking accidents account for the majority of in-home incidents every year, and a large portion of home fires originate in kitchens. In many homes, life happens in or near the kitchen as meals are prepared, eaten, and cleaned up after. Kitchen safety is something that you must understand if you want to keep your family safe. For those of us who work in commercial kitchens, it is even more imperative that safety is a priority. Home and commercial kitchen safety is practically the same, though you may be dealing with slightly different equipment in a commercial kitchen. Here are a few tips to help keep your kitchen safe and accident free.
Protect Yourself First, we’ll cover the topic of clothing and protective gear. Make sure that the clothes you are wearing are not billowy or have bits that may drift into flames or catch on anything. On that note, you also want to keep your hair pulled back and out of the way. You don’t want to have it catch on fire and no one likes finding hair in their food. Many burns and other injuries happen due to pans and containers being too hot. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Keep in mind that slight burns can turn into much more serious injuries because of your reaction. A hot pan or pot of boiling water is more likely to cause greater injury if you drop it. Take care to wear shoes when you’re in the kitchen and keep potholders nearby and always use them whether you think the pan has cooled off or not.
Protect Others For your home kitchen, keep kids and pets out. Unless the children are being closely supervised, it can be very dangerous for any person or pet to be underfoot while you’re cooking. Whether you have kids around or not, keep pot handles turned toward the back of the stove. It only takes one accidental swipe for your arm to catch a protruding handle and send an entire dish flying across the room. Keep your equipment safe and use it wisely. Don’t use any appliances that have frayed or exposed wires and keep all electronic devices away from water. Clean up any spills immediately and always keep a fire extinguisher close by. Know the best way to handle any fires including grease and electric fires. And remember, don’t be a hero. It is better to get out than stay and suffer serious injury.
Food Safety Commercial kitchens must follow and comply with a variety of rules and regulations when it comes to storing, handling, and serving food. While home kitchens are not regulated the same way, it is a good idea for everyone to try to follow similar rules. Don’t leave perishables sitting out unrefrigerated for long periods of time. Store and prepare your raw meats separately from everything else. Whether cooking at home or in a commercial kitchen always make sure you are doing so safely. Compliance with good safety practices can also save you money on restaurant insurance in Thousand Oaks and other cities. Photocredit: wikipedia, stevendepolo