Safety in the Kitchen

Safe or Unsafe?

Safe or Unsafe?

Use a towel to remove a pan from the range.

Unsafe

A towel is not meant to remove items from a range or oven. It’s thinness allows heat to

penetrate through. It’s loose ends can catch on fire.

Safe or Unsafe?

Pour salt or baking soda over the flames of a grease fire.

Safe

The salt absorbs the grease and the baking soda cuts off the oxygen supply.

Safe or Unsafe?

Sweep up broken glass with a broom or brush.

Safe

Use the proper equipment to pick up glass. A broom or brush is a safe way to quickly

pick up glass.

Safe or Unsafe?

Cut the tops of cans about half off and then bend them up to remove the food.

Unsafe

Properly remove entire lid with a can opener. Bending back lids increases a

risk to an injury or cut.

Safe or Unsafe?

Wait until a wet floor dries before walking on it.

Safe

You risk injury if a floor is wet. Wait until it is completely dry before walking on it

yourself or allowing others to walk on it.

Safe or Unsafe?

Take broken appliances to a service shop for repair or discontinue use.

Safe

Broken appliances cause a risk to a potential fire or a risk of injury.

Safe or Unsafe?

Be sure poisons are clearly labeled.

Safe

Make sure others know what is in bottles that can be a potential risk for inproper use

or consumption. Mr. Yuk stickers are helpful for young children that cannot read.

Safe or Unsafe

Old refrigerators and freezers should be stored with the doors tightly closed so

small children can’t get in them.

Safe

Many people might have older refrigerators or freezers that are easy for small children to get into. Keep them tightly closed or not

easily accessed.

Safe or Unsafe?

Keep pan handles toward the edge of the range so they are easy to reach.

Unsafe

Handles pointed toward the edge of the range are easy to bump as you walk by or

accessible for small children to reach causing a safety risk.

Safe or Unsafe?

Touch the surface unit on the range after use to be sure it is turned off.

Unsafe

Newer ranges have a light that indicates whether a stove top is still hot. Older

ranges do not have that. Touching the range top is risking a burn.

Safe or Unsafe

Do not use a knife to tighten a screw on a handle.

Unsafe

Use tools meant for the purpose. Using a knife as a screwdriver can damage the

knife and risk injury.

Safe or Unsafe?

Use electric appliances with wet or dry hands.

Unsafe

Always make sure hands are dry. Wet hands and electrical appliances do not mix

well. It could be a shocking experience.

Safe or Unsafe

The safest place for electrical cords is near heat such as ranges or hot pipes.

Unsafe

Avoid placing electrical cords near heat sources such as hot pipes, ranges, or

heating ducts.

Safe or Unsafe?

Cover food and utensils before spraying; with cleaning fluids or aerosol sprays.

Safe

If you are cleaning the kitchen, try to do it separately from when you are cooking.

Cover food if it is necessary to use a cleaning solution.

Safe or Unsafe?

Wear long-sleeved garments when cooking to protect your arms.

Safe

Long-sleeved garments help protect your arm. Be aware not to wear sleeves which hang too loosely around the wrists near

the stove top.

Safe or Unsafe?

Keep flammable materials away from the range.

Safe

Duh… a stove is hot, do not keep flammables near stove. This includes

towels, hotpads, recipes, or other flammables.

Safe or Unsafe?

Wash knives with the silverware when doing dishes.

Unsafe

Set knives out to wash separately. If you put them in the bottom of the sink to be

washed with the silverware, you risk being cut.

Safe or Unsafe?

Disconnect the appliance first if food sticks on it.

Safe

Make sure appliance is disconnected before you try to remove food. Appliances such as blenders and food processors can cause injury if accidentally turned on.

Safe or Unsafe?

Store household cleaners in the same cabinets with food.

Unsafe

Always store household cleaners separately from food. Also store cleaners away from

small children.

Safe or Unsafe?

Be sure pot holders are dry before using on hot pans.

Safe

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.

Safe or Unsafe?

Lift the lid of a pan on a range so the opening is toward you so the steam

billows away from your face.

Safe

Steam burns are worse than water burns. Steam is the gas form of water and is hotter than the liquid form. Lift the lid top towards you and having the steam away from your face.

Safe or Unsafe?

Use a chair or box to reach a high shelf.

Unsafe

Use a stepstool to reach high areas. Step stools are built for the safety of reaching

higher spaces.

Safe or Unsafe?

Be sure the cord is out of the way when using an appliance.

Safe

Make sure the cord is directly plugged into the outlet and out of the way of the

appliance unit itself.

Safe or Unsafe?

Use aerosol spray cans near heat or flames.

Unsafe

The use of aerosol cans near heat or flames can be a serious hazard.

Safe or Unsafe?

When using a knife, cut away from your body.

Safe

Always cut away from your body keeping thumb away from cutting line reducing the risk of injury from an accidental “slip”.

Safe or Unsafe?

Clean a wet floor or carpet with the regular vacuum cleaner.

Unsafe

Regular vacuum cleaners are not made to pick up wetness. They can cause damage to the vacuum or risk electric shock. Wet-Dry vacuums are designed to do both.

Safe or Unsafe?

Mix household cleaners if dirt is hard to remove.

Unsafe

Mixing household cleaners can cause a toxic odor that can be fatal.

Safe or Unsafe?

Put a lid on a pan which holds a grease fire.

Safe

The easiest way to smother a grease fire is to put a lid on a pan that holds the grease fire will deplete it from oxygen and put it out. Be careful with glass lids; they can break from the extreme heat of open

flame.

Safe or Unsafe?

Be sure kitchen rugs have non-skid backs.

Safe

Some kitchen work spaces have throw rugs. Make sure they are non-skid or have a

self-adhesive gripper on the backs.

Safe or Unsafe

Do not use a charcoal grill or gas grill in home or garage.

Safe

Never use a grill indoors or in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under a surface that will burn. Gas and

charcoal grills present a risk of fire and/or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning that could result in injury or

death. Grill in an open-aired space.

Safe or Unsafe?

Use a knife to open cans.

Unsafe

Again, use tools for their purpose. The misuse of knives can cause risk of injury

and damage to the tool.

Safe or Unsafe?

Never store poisons in empty food containers.

Safe

Do not risk the chance that a poison might be identified as consumable. Sometimes

it is convenient to put in another container. This could be fatal.

Safe or Unsafe?

Wipe up spills on the floor right away.

Safe

Don’t wait for an accident to happen. Wipe up spills right away.

Safe or Unsafe?

Pour water on a grease fire.

Unsafe

Do NOT pour water on a grease fire. This creates a steam explosion which can be

dangerous.

Safe or Unsafe

Run electrical cords under rugs so people won’t trip over them.

Unsafe

Do not run electrical cords under rugs or furniture where they may be pinched or

stepped on. Heat can build up and start a fire. In addition, cords can be frayed and expose

wires, which can also result in a fire.

Safe or Unsafe?

Do not plug too many appliance cords into one electrical outlet.

Safe

Overloaded outlets do cause fires. An estimated 5,300 annually in American

households. Almost 2,000 of those occur during the holidays.

Safe or Unsafe?

Tie back long hair.

Safe

Long hair can be caught in equipment and near heat sources. In addition, it can

increase the risk of hair in food.

Safe or Unsafe?

When using a knife, use a dull one.

Unsafe

Dull knives can be more dangerous than sharp knives. Sometimes added pressure to make them cut better can cause injury. Sometimes it causes a more jagged cut

rather than a clean cut.

Safe or Unsafe?

Repair appliances yourself if you think you know what is wrong.

Unsafe

If you are not a qualified repair person, do not attempt to make a critical repair yourself. Take repairs that can cause injury or fire to a repair

shop or throw away and purchase a safer unit. Sometimes buying new equipment is cheaper

than the repair.

Safe or Unsafe?

Carry a pan which holds a grease fire to the sink.

Unsafe

DO NOT move or carry the pan outside, it will fan the flames and risk spreading. Place a lid directly on top. Do not put

flour or water on the grease fire.