Accident prevention in the kitchen

By: Clark Baldwin

Basic Kitchen Safety Tips• Don’t let hair or jewelry dangle -- could cause fires.

• Put items back where they belong

• Close drawers and doors

• Use tools for what they were meant to do

• Clean up after yourself

• Keep electrical appliance in safe areas

• Store foods properly

Safe Food Handling• Buy cold food last and get it home fast

• Keep refrigerator at 40°F and the freezer at O°F

• Be very clean when you prepare food (wash hands, keep foods separated, thaw foods in refrigerator)

• Cook all meats and poultry thoroughly

• Cook food evenly when using a microwave

• Never leave food out for more than 2hrs

• Store leftovers in small containers

• Reheat foods thoroughly

Food safety – following practices that help prevent food borne illness and keep food safe to eat

Electrical Appliance Safety Tips• Never use electrical appliances

when your hands are wet or when standing on a wet floor

• Keep electrical appliances away from water

• Avoid damaging electrical cords

• Avoid plugging too many appliances into an electrical outlet

• Never put your hand in an appliance that is plugged in

• Never use damaged appliances

Stove and Oven Safety Tips• Do not leave food cooking on the stove unattended

• Keep flammable objects away from the stove

• Use oven mitts when removing hot objects off of the stove or out of the oven

• Always turn pot and pan handles inward to keep them from being knocked down

• Do not use plastic items near the stove or oven

• Arrange oven racks properly before cooking

• Stand to the side when opening the oven

• Do not reach into a hot oven

• Clean up spills in oven or on stove after they have cooled down

Fire Safety and Prevention in the kitchen

• If a grease fire begins, smother it with a lid or an oven mitt

• If an oven fire begins, turn off the heat and keep the door closed

• If a toaster fire begins, unplug it

• If a microwave fire begins, unplug it and keep the door closed

• If a fire begins in the kitchen, use a portable fire extinguisher to put it out; if nothing else works, call the fire department before fighting it

THE END