Homes are in fact the greatest risk to our health for accidents according to the article ‘Home Is Where The Greatest Accidents Risk Is‘ in the Guardian, and I happen to think they are right.
For us, all but one of our accidents in the last 7 years in this house have occurred in the kitchen, from cuts and burns to full-on lacerations from a glass breakage, so trying to stay safe in the kitchen is very important. A&E is far too time-consuming to not do everything we can to stay as safe as we can.
I think it’s fair to say that the kitchen in any home tends to be the busiest place, somewhere people tend to congregate and not just for eating and it seems that once one of us is in the kitchen the rest tend to follow. Making preparing food and getting around the kitchen far harder. But did you know that there are more issues than just having a busy kitchen?
I think this video from Electrical Safety First shows just how much being on top of our environments and cleaning can impact on our own safety in our kitchen spaces.
So here are my top tips on how to keep safe in the kitchen:
Clean Clean Clean
Obviously clearing up spills in a kitchen is important, but making sure appliances are clean and fit for use is imperative too as the video shows. If you give the appliances a quick wipe down after you have finished it only takes a minute and is then fit for use next time.
Kitchen Cupboards
If you have tiny fingers on the prowl in your house, cupboard catches need to be fitted, especially on cutlery drawers with knives or other sharp implements in, and under sink cupboards with chemicals and medicine cupboards too.
Pan Positioning
Pan handles are nothing if not dangerous. Not only can they get hot, they can also be super exciting to small fingers, so turning pan handles into the cooker or worktop can save the day – as does making sure the handles are not hot before picking them up.
Keep Yourself Safe
Tie back long hair, take off dangly jewellery and wear appropriate clothing such as short sleeves and avoiding dangling clothing that can catch fire is a must!
General Kitchen Safety
Never overload the sockets with extension cords and don’t use electrical appliances near water.
Check electrical cords before plugging items in and once finished with, never wind a cord around a ‘cooling’ appliance. For more information on electrical safety in the kitchen, you can find more ideas HERE.
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post with Electrical Safety First
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