Kitchen Safety and Fire Prevention Tips

1. “The kitchen is safe; it is the cook who is dangerous.”

2. Extinguishing Fires • Actions to take with fires vary depending on the kind of fire. • All fires require oxygen from the air to burn so cutting off the supply of air smothers the fire and puts it out.

3. There are three classes of fire extinguishers for different kinds of fires.

4. Smother the fire or Use a Fire Extinguisher • For a pan fire, put a lid or cookie sheet on the fire (if available) and turn off the burner. • If a fire can NOT be smothered, use a fire extinguisher. • Pull out the pin, Aim at the fire base, Squeeze the trigger, Sweep side to side. Remember, PASS !

5. Know Fire Exits in Case Evacuation is Warranted

6. Grease Fires • Besides covering the fire with a lid or using the fire extinguisher, large amounts of salt or baking soda can be used on grease fires. • NEVER USE WATER on grease fires since burning oil floats on water and this would only spread the fire more.

7. When Cooking, Use Fans to Remove Fumes. • If fumes and smoke is NOT vented out, smoke detectors may trip the fire alarm system.

8. Hot Utensils • Handle all hot pans and baking sheets with dry oven mitts. Wet mitts and damp towels pass heat through them.

9. Pots and Pans on the Stove • Turn handles inward to avoid accidental tipping. • DON’T turn handles over another hot burner.

10. Limit Young Children’s Access to Stoves

11. How to Leave Stove After a Cooking Lab • After cooking labs, turn off all burners and ovens. Clean the top and front of the stove. Occasionally put new foil liners under burners.

12. Beware of Steam Burns • Open the far side of the lid on a steaming pot so that the steam escapes away from you rather than into your arms and face. • Steam burns are painful.

13. Safety With Sharp Knives • 1. Avoid cutting with dull knives since they may veer off the object you wish to cut and will tear food.

14. Safety With Sharp Knives • 2. Use a chopping board.

15. Safety With Sharp Knives • 3. Cut away from yourself.

16. Safety With Sharp Knives • 4. Wash and wipe knives separately from dishes.

17. Safety With Sharp Knives • 5. Store knives separately, not in drawers with other utensils since this dulls knife edges and makes accidents more likely.

18. Safety With Electrical Appliances • 1. Disconnect appliances when not in use.

19. Safety With Electrical Appliances • 2. Dry hands before connecting appliances.

20. Safety With Electrical Appliances • 3. Pull the plug, not the cord when unplugging an appliance from an outlet.

21. Cleaning Up Broken Glass • First sweep up broken glass, then use a damp paper towel to get splinters.

22. Spills • Immediately wipe up spills to prevent persons from slipping and tracking the spill through the room.

23. Cupboards and Drawers • Keep cupboards and drawers closed so there is no danger of bumping into them.

24. Operating an Oven Broiler • Keep the oven door slightly open when broiling.

25. Cold Glass or Ceramic Dishes Can’t Take Heat • Never put a cold dish in hot water or on a hot element. The stress of the heat may cause the dish to shatter.

26. Using Oven Racks • Pull out oven racks when putting things in or when testing a baked product.

27. Handling Cuts • Apply direct pressure with tissue or a clean cloth and elevate if possible. Ask for the teacher.

28. Burn Treatment • Immerse burns in cold water immediately. Ask for the teacher.

29. Report all accidents to the teacher.

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