New to Cooking? Here’s How to Prevent Common Kitchen Accidents

Person cutting a raw chicken on a cutting board with a large knife

Cooking is one of the great joys of life. Not only do you get to prepare your favorite foods and try new ones, but you also get to enjoy the delicious results of your hard work. However, cooking shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whenever you go to the kitchen, you risk creating safety hazards with the tools and elements that are involved in the cooking process. In order to avoid a serious injury, take the necessary steps to practice proper kitchen safety. Here are some of the main things to keep in mind.

Pay Attention

The best way to prevent injury is to pay close attention to what you are doing. Never leave cooking food unattended. Being an absentminded cook could lead to an accidental knife cut or a fire. Stay on the alert while your preparing a meal, and don’t take anything for granted. If your attention easily strays, maybe try drinking a sip of coffee or tea right before cooking. Avoid cooking if you are sleep deprived or under the influence of alcohol in order to avoid accidents. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and make sure that it’s functional. Also, check your smoke detectors regularly to make sure that they are in good working order for when they need to protect your home from fire.

Clean Up

When the cooking process is over and done with, make sure to put away any knives or sharp utensils that were used. This will ensure that you won’t accidentally come into any unwanted contact. Carefully clean up any surfaces that were in contact with raw meat, which can harbor dangerous bacteria. Also, make sure that the oven or the stove is turned off. Leaving the oven or the stove on for long periods of time can become a safety hazard. Remember to mop the floor and use a degreasing product as necessary to clean up oil.

Follow the Rules

While cooking in the kitchen, it’s a good idea to follow a set of rules you set up for yourself. Some good safety rules are to avoid wearing jewelry and to wear proper attire while handling certain elements in the kitchen. Use lids when handling boiling water. Put on heat mittens when pulling a dish out of the oven. Know how to handle your kitchen tools before using them. Cooking tutorials can be very helpful for getting to know your way around a kitchen better. If you don’t know how to handle certain kitchen utensils or the heated portions of cooking, you can learn more through these tutorials. 

Always stay conscious of kitchen safety. You may cause serious harm to yourself or others by starting a fire, cutting a finger with a knife, or dropping pans or small appliances. By following the tips above, you’re much more likely to have an enjoyable and successful cooking experience.

Did you accidentally injure yourself while in the kitchen? Make sure to have a first aid kit on hand at all times.