Kitchen Safety 101 Culinary Arts

Kitchen Hazards Burns Cuts Strains Sprains Slips Trips Falls Fires

Slips Trips and Falls

Preventing Slips Slippery surfaces are one of the main causes of accidents in the kitchen. To reduce the risk of slips wear shoes with nonslip soles clean up spills immediately watch where you step

Preventing Trips To reduce the risk of trips: watch where you step keep all walkways clear keep all cabinets and drawers closed when not in use make sure you can see over loads you carry

Preventing Falls To reduce the risk of falls: Do not climb on counters. Use a sturdy step stool or ladder Use a ladder with slip resistant feet Do not use chairs, boxes, or tables in place of a ladder Face the ladder when standing or climbing Keep the center of your body between side rails Do not stand on the top step

Cuts

Cuts, Lacerations and Punctures Result mainly during food preparation using knives, peelers, and graters You can also cut yourself on broken dishes, cups, glasses, glass bottles, and sharp lids Being distracted or careless can result in injuries

Cuts, Lacerations and Punctures Preventing Cuts, Lacerations and Punctures Unplug all small appliances before cleaning. Never put your fingers near moving parts or blades Discard broken or chipped dishes and glassware, use a broom & dustpan to clean up broken glassware or dishes. Follow-up by wiping area with a damp paper towel to remove very small pieces of glass.

Cuts, Lacerations and Punctures Preventing Cuts, Lacerations and Punctures Garbage bags can contain sharp items like can lids and broken glass. Do not compress garbage bags with your hands or body. Use proper knife safety procedures Cut on a cutting board Carefully-wash and dry knives separately Store properly-away from other utensils Use only for intended purpose

Strains and Sprains Recognize Strain & Sprain Hazards • Repetitive motions • Reaching • Lifting • Awkward postures

Strains & Sprains Repetitive movements may lead to strain & sprains Prolonged standing, reaching, lifting, & chopping while preparing food or cooking & turning food on a hot grill or stove surface. Static postures - continuously stand in one position while chopping, cooking, or preparing food, causing muscle fatigue & pooling of blood in lower extremities. Awkward neck postures can lead to Neck strains & muscle stiffness if cooks are constantly tilting their heads downward to chop and dice large quantities.

Strains & Sprains Reaching and lifting: Frequent elevated extended reaches for supplies can cause back & shoulder injury resulting in muscle strain. Kitchen worker using elevated reach

Strains & Sprains Repetitive motions: Performing hand-intensive tasks (such as chopping, stirring, scooping) with a bent wrist • creates considerable stress on tendons of wrist • can lead to irritation, swelling & potential musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) Use ergonomically designed tools

Strains & Sprains Reaching & Lifting Solutions Lift with your knees, not your back. Lighten heavy load that needs to be lifted or get help when lifting. Always make sure load is balanced and even when lifting.

Safe Storage Practices Stack heavier items on lower shelves Store lighter goods on top shelves Stack items used most frequently at convenient waist level. Get help lifting heavy items Use a step stool or ladder to access items on shelves. Lighten load to be lifted by purchasing smaller and lighter cartons of stock.

Safe Storage Practices Labeling: All food and cleaning items removed from their original packaging must be labeled. You can store all refrigerated ready to eat foods that are prepared in house for a maximum of seven days. Rotation: you should rotate so that the oldest inventory is used first. Use the first in, first out method also known as FIFO Discard all foods once they reach their manufactures “use by” or “expiration dates” Never use empty food containers to store chemicals. Never put food into empty chemical containers. Store chemicals away from food.

Watch Out For Burn Hazards Hot surfaces Flames Fat, Oil, Grease Hot water Steam Cooking foods Flammable items

Burns and Scalds Don’t be a burn statistic! Result primarily from: Spilling & splashing of hot fats, oils, and food products. Hot beverages Contact with hot surfaces such as stove tops, ovens, grills, pots, pans, & trays Steam Burns and scalds can be avoided with good kitchen safety practices Don’t be a burn statistic!

Take Precautions To Prevent Burns Use dry potholders Check steaming containers carefully – lift lids so steam flows away from you. Be careful around grills, ranges, and ovens. Avoid splashes when frying- use a spatter screen. Handle hot food and liquids cautiously Use caution carrying hot food containers

Take Precautions To Prevent Burns Do not stand above or lean over steaming items or equipment. Steam can burn!

Burn Prevention Place foods in boiling water carefully to avoid splashing. Assume that pots, pot handles, & utensils in pots are hot & use oven mitts when handling them. Use long gloves for deep ovens. Adjust burner flames to cover only bottom of pan. Avoid overcrowding on range tops. Use the correct size burner. Wear sturdy footwear that is slip resistant to protect feet in case hot liquids are spilled on shoes (no canvas or open toes.)

Burn Prevention Keep pot handles away from hot burners. Avoid overfilling pots & pans. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or dangling jewelry. Do not allow pot handles or cooking utensils to stick out from counters or stove fronts while cooking. Turn them to the center of the stove.

How to prevent cooking fires and related injuries

Major Causes of Kitchen Fires Cooking fires are the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fire started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.   FACTS & FIGURES Cooking equipment fires are the leading cause of home structure fires (40%) and associated civilian injuries (36%). Clothing was the item first ignited in less than 1% of these fires, but these incidents accounted 15% of the cooking fire deaths. Ranges accounted for the largest share (59%) of home cooking fire incidents. Ovens accounted for 16%.

FACTS & FIGURES Continued Three of every five (59%) reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves. Frying poses the greatest risk of fire. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires

Grease Fires Occurs when oil or grease is heated too quickly. Always heat oil and grease slowly! Let’s watch a video http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4522976n

Grease Fire Review Pot on the Stove Fire * Never leave oil or grease unattended (frying, grilling and broiling) * Never put water on a grease or oil fire * PUT A LID ON IT - Wear oven mitts* * TURN OFF THE HEAT * DO NOT MOVE THE PAN OR REMOVE THE LID UNTIL COMPLETELY COOLED * Never move a burning pot to the sink or outside If in doubt…JUST GET OUT!

Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

Other Fire Hazards Flammable items left near stove. Never leave towels, oven mitts, paper or cardboard, or pressurized cans on or near a hot stove. Dish towel used as oven mitt. Always use a proper fitting oven mitt to remove hot items from oven. Loose clothing can catch fire. Roll up sleeves, tuck in shirts. Long hair can catch fire. Tie back long hair.

Review Questions: 1. Never put __________ on a grease fire. 2. When cooking you should never leave __________ or ________________unattended. 3. Clean up spills _____________. 4. Keep all cabinets and drawers ________ when not in use. 5. You are more likely to cut yourself when you are _____________or careless. water oil grease immediately closed distracted

Review Questions 6.Why should you be careful when carrying garbage bags? ______________________________________________________ 7.You should lift with your ________not your back. 8.You must discard refrigerated ready to eat foods after ________ days. 9.To prevent burns you should use _____________pot holders. 10 To avoid burns you should lift lids to that the steam flows_________ from you. So that you do not cut yourself on sharp object in the bag. Do not compress the bag against your body. knees 7 dry away