Britannia Home Inspections Kitchen Safety

Now that we’re spending more time in the kitchen during this pandemic we thought we’d share some tips for staying safe in the kitchen.

Hospitals have seen a rise in knife and burn accidents during this lockdown so hopefully, we can make you a little safer while preparing delicious meals for the family.

Knife Safety

To prevent serious accidents always pay attention to what you are doing when handling knives. Keep them sharp as blunt or dull knives can slip. keep them stored in a block and away from children.

• Never wander around the kitchen with a knife and don’t leave them within easy reach on counters.
• Slice away from your hand to prevent cuts and never cut anything while holding it in your palm.
• When finished with super sharp knives clean and store them safely(never left in the sink or exposed in a dishwasher)

Preventing Burns

Burns account for the majority of kitchen accidents and are painful and can lead to hospitalization and surgery.

• Keep pot handles directed inward and not sticking out in front of the stove.
• Never leave boiling pots and pans unattended especially with children around.
• Never grab a handle thinking it’s safe. Many burns happen this way!
• Always use oven gloves when transporting or draining pots and pans.
• Keep loose clothes and garments, dangling jewelry away from flame/heat sources.
• Be careful when removing hot items from the microwave as they can overflow and spit out the hot liquid, especially when stirring.
• Never try to put out grease fires with water and don’t panic. Place a lid straight on it to extinguish. (keep pot lids handy)
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, fully charged, indate, and learn how to use it. Different fires require different categories and multi-use extinguishers are available ie A-B_C.

Food Hygiene

Food prep and storage are critical for you and your family’s health and safety.

• Keep all work surfaces and utensils clean and sanitized.
• Wash hands before and after handling food items.
• Separate raw meats and poultry from other items and don’t use the same chopping boards unless thoroughly cleaned.
• Check cooked meats with a thermometer and keep food items stored and refrigerated and not left out uncovered.
• There can be many hazards present in the kitchen and implementing a few safety measures will prevent accidents and keep you safe.

In conclusion, I would like to leave everyone with an item that is missing on many inspections I perform and that l feel is super important for the safety of everyone especially children.

Anti Tip Bracket

Anti-tip brackets are devices that fit at the back of stoves under the leg preventing it from tipping forward when the oven door is open. Anything on top will be propelled off the cooktop and seriously burn someone. This device is often overlooked and 90% of homes I inspect do not have these fitted. These are available from appliance stores or online.