What safety hints and techniques are helpful in the kitchen?
Although you've probably had many years of cooking experience, it's always helpful to remind yourself of basic kitchen safety hints, such as the following:
- Always wash your hands before handling food.
- Remove loose-fitting or bulky jewelry and don't wear clothing with long or loose sleeves.
- Make sure your hands are dry before handing electrical appliances or plugs.
- Be sure that switches are in the "off" position before plugging in or unplugging electrical appliances.
- Store knives in a knife holder or with protective covers over the blades;
- Assemble all of your necessary tools and ingredients before starting any cooking or baking project.
- Close cabinet doors and drawers immediately after use.
- Position the handles of pots and pans so that they do not extend over the front or side edges of the stove or over another burner.
- Don't lean on the stove or over the burners when setting the stove or oven dials or while you're cooking.
- Always use flame retardant elbow-length oven mitts when removing hot pans from the stovetop or oven. Make sure they are dry and in good repair, without worn spots or holes.
- Match pots and pans to the correct burner size.
- Turn appliances off before removing food from a burner, grill, or oven.
- Have trivets and hot pads nearby when you cook.
- Stand off to the side when you open the oven door, not directly in front of it.
- Unplug electrical appliances when you're not using them.
- Clean up spills and breakage immediately.
- Be aware of ingredients in household cleaners. Never mix ammonia and bleach, since this mixture can be poisonous. If products contain either ingredient, they should never be mixed with anything else.
- Try to use tested and familiar household cleaners and products.
Also be aware of these fire prevention tips for the kitchen:
- Tie long hair back and make sure that your clothing is not flammable or loose-fitting.
- Always check the stovetop surface or oven interior before cooking.
- Remove flammable and combustible items from stovetops, countertops, and storage areas above the stove.
- Clean the stovetop thoroughly to remove cooking residue and grease.
- Select a fire extinguisher that you can use independently. Store it between the cooking area and the exit.
- Keep a container filled with baking soda near the cooking area for small grease or electrical fires.
- Place a pot or pan on the burner before turning on the heat.
- Never leave the stove unattended while cooking.
Can you give me some tips for using a knife safely?
Try these safety hints and techniques to help you with safe and effective slicing:
- Always store knives in a knife holder or with the blades covered if you store them in a drawer.
- Always use a cutting board with a non-slip bottom when you slice.
- Keep a tray nearby that organizes all materials required for the slicing task.
- Be sure to use a sharp knife, which is safer than a dull one.
- When slicing foods, use a sawing or slicing motion. Using only downward pressure without sawing can cause the food item to flatten or slip away.
- Cut or slice away from your body instead of toward yourself.
- Cut round vegetables in half to make a flat cutting edge.
- Make sure that the fingers on your free hand are clear of the blade at all times.
- It's possible to identify the sharp or slicing edge of the knife blade without touching it:
- Since the slicing (and sharper) edge is usually curved, try rocking the knife blade forward and backward on the cutting board. The slicing edge, which is curved, will rock back and forth.
- If you place the non-slicing edge, which is usually straight and duller, against the cutting board, the knife will be flush against the surface and will not rock back and forth.
- To avoid cutting your fingers, use a fork to hold food in place with your free (non-slicing) hand.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice a sandwich in half.
A reversible black-and-white cutting board can provide contrast when slicing.- Onions, potatoes, and yellow squash, for example, will show up more clearly on the black side, while the white side will provide greater contrast with tomatoes and green vegetables.
- You can find this reversible cutting board, along with a variety of kitchen and household safety products, in Sources of Products for Independent Living on this web site.
Safe Food Handling and Storage
To help you and your family be food-safe, remember these four basic steps: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.
- Clean your hands, utensils, and cutting boards before and after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
- Separate raw meat and poultry from all other foods, such as salad and vegetables.
- Cook all foods thoroughly. Use a large print timer or talking food thermometer to help determine optimal cooking times.
- Chill all leftovers within two hours.
Additional food safety hints include:
- When buying groceries, pick up perishable foods last.
- In hot weather, use a cooler to transport perishable items home.
- Extend the shelf life of your food purchases by buying items located at the rear of store shelves.
- Foods with shorter use-by dates are often placed at the front of store shelves.
Fire Safety and Prevention
- Develop a fire escape plan that includes more than one way to exit your home or apartment in case of fire or other emergency. Practice using these exits during non-emergencies.
- Each family member should know how to test the bedroom door for heat before opening it, as well as have a planned emergency exit route and a meeting point after exiting the residence.
- Contact your local fire department and rescue squad and let them know that you, or a member of your family, have vision problems. Ask for suggestions to help you plan a safe escape in case of a fire or other emergency.
- Don't use appliances with frayed or broken electrical cords.
- Don't smoke in bed or near a flammable source, such as a gas stove or oxygen tank.
- Don't use space heaters near walls, furniture, or curtains. Give space heaters the "space" they need to heat your home safely and efficiently.
- Have your heating systems professionally checked and cleaned once a year.
- Use precautions and follow the manufacturer's instructions when positioning halogen lights or lamps close to your body, curtains, or furniture.
- Halogen bulbs produce intense heat and can cause fire, severe burns, and personal injury if used incorrectly. Halogen fixtures should always be kept away from flammable curtains and fabrics.
Fire Extinguishers
- Make sure your home has at least one working fire extinguisher; the kitchen is usually the best place to store it.
- Check the extinguisher at least once a year to make sure it still has adequate pressure.
- If you can't read the pressure indicator, bring it to any fire station for a free pressure check.
Fire extinguishers are available in a variety of formulas and types:
- Type "A" is for paper and wood fires
- Type "B" is for liquid and grease fires
- Type "C" is for electrical fires
Ideally, if you have only one type of extinguisher in the home, the combined "ABC" type will be effective for most home fires.
The "BC" type is also a good choice for a kitchen, since most kitchen fires are caused by grease or an overheated electrical outlet.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Your home or apartment should have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Be sure that you can perform the following routine safety and maintenance tasks:
- Change the batteries in your detectors.
- Keep several extra batteries in your refrigerator.
- If your detector has a "chirping" feature that is activated when the battery is low, change the battery as soon as you hear it.
- Establish an annual date on which to change the batteries.
- Many people use the daylight savings date, New Year's Eve, or a birthday. Use whatever date works best for you.
Electrical Sockets and Light Switches
Electrical sockets and light switches are often the same color as the surrounding walls; therefore, they can be difficult to locate if you have low vision.
- One solution is to install new face plates in a color that contrasts with the electrical outlets and/or light switches.
- Another solution is to mark your electrical outlets with raised or color-contrasting dots that can help you locate the outlet and align the prongs of the plug with the slits in the outlet.
- You can create your own raised dots by using spots of glue or bits of tape.
- Other types of raised marking materials, such as the Hi-Mark Tactile Pen, Spot 'n Line Pens, Touch Dots, and Maxi-Marks are available from specialty catalogs.
- See Find Labeling Products and Labeling and Marking for more information.
In addition, outlets are often located behind furniture and near the floor. One solution is to use a power strip or surge protector:
- Plug the power strip/surge protector into the outlet and place the power strip in an inconspicuous spot on an end table or other piece of furniture.
- You can also mark the outlets on the power strip with raised or color-contrasting dots to identify each plug.
General Emergency Planning
- The American Red Cross provides a personal disaster plan checklist to help organize and prepare for emergencies.
- Make a list of emergency contacts, as well as emergency shelters or places to go if a disaster strikes.
- Most emergency plans suggest creating a disaster supply box or kit. Your kit should also include supplies related to your vision impairment, such as duplicate medication or low vision devices. Label your kit and supplies in large print or with tactile markings.
- Mark utility shut-offs in large print or with tactile markings to help with identification during an emergency.
- Have a care plan and supplies for your service animal and/or pet.
Additional Resources for Home and Kitchen Safety
