precautions while using kitchen equipments

Like Chandler in Friends, I once dropped a knife on my foot. I did need stitches, although I didn t actually sever my toe. From that day on, I learned that wearing shoes, good sturdy shoes, is essential to kitchen safety.Make sure you are wearing safe clothes too. Sleeves should not be long and flowy. Do not wear loose clothing or anything flammable, and avoid synthetic clothing, which can melt onto your skin if it catches on fire.

Rushing around the kitchen will almost guarantee accidents. Unless you re a pro, cut food slowly, do not run from station to station, and take your time when moving hot pots and pans. Saving a few minutes here and there will be negated if you need to make a trip to the doctor s office.

Keep a good selection of hot pads and oven mitts on hand. Always use them for any bowl, pot, or pan that has been in an appliance. It s especially important to use these items on bowls you are pulling out of the microwave oven. Even microwave safe bowls can get quite hot, and it s easy to burn yourself. And if a hot pad or oven mitt gets wet, don t use it until it dries. A wet pad or cloth will easily transmit heat.

Cleaning up spills as you go not only helps save time when cleaning the kitchen, but will help prevent accidents. Water, food, and grease on the floor will almost guarantee a fall.Watch out for cooking sprays too. If they are sprayed on the floor, the surface will become very slippery. I always hold the pan I m spraying over the sink so any over spray will not land on the floor.

Always have a fire extinguisher handy in your kitchen, and be sure that you know how to use it before you need it.Know a little bit about different fires. Never try to extinguish grease and electric fires with water; baking soda or a pan cover work best. Smothering a fire by removing air is the best way to put most out. Use a pot cover, baking soda, or salt, not water.A fire in the microwave can be put out just by turning the appliance off and keeping the door closed. A fire in the oven should be extinguished with baking soda or a fire extinguisher.

Always keep pot handles turned away from the front of the stove; it s too easy to accidentally brush against them and spill hot food on yourself. Never reach over a hot burner to another pan. Push back your sleeves when cooking food on the stove top. And keep pot covers handy to smother flames.

Never leave the house when food is cooking or baking, except for a slow cooker. I put my slow cooker on my cool stove top just so it s on a heatproof surface. Food can quickly go from browning to burning to bursting into flame.

Learn personal safety and fire safety. Teach your children about stop, drop, and roll if their clothing catches on fire. In fact, teach your kids to respect the kitchen, fire, and heat. Nothing in the kitchen is a toy.

Most people keep a first aid kit in the bathroom. One belongs in the kitchen as well. Make sure it s stocked with up to date equipment, including gauze, burn salve, scissors, and the phone number for your doctors and nearby hospitals.

To avoid water coming into contact with electricity, make sure that your sockets or switches are fitted at a safe distance at least 30cm horizontally from the sink If appliances such as fridges, dishwashers and washing machines are fitted under worktops, getting to sockets may be difficult. Ideally, these appliances should be controlled by a switched fuse connection unit mounted above the worktop where you can reach it easily.