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Kitchen Safety: Playing Safe in the Kitchen

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Injuries while cooking can happen to the best of chefs. So make sure to put the right plaster on your next shopping list. With cooking becoming more and more of a trend, more people are headed for the kitchen. With exotic cuisines and matching new tools, from woks to sushi knives, kitchens are turning into injury hotspots. A cut, abrasion or burn can easily happen.

Safety tips in the kitchen

There are so many quick safety practices in the kitchen that you can employ to make your cooking experience a fun and injury free time! Here are a few ways you can make you kitchen an injury free zone.

Invest in good quality tools:
The secret of any good chef is quality kitchen equipment. Kitchen utensils should be up to standard, anything that does not function properly or knives that are dull should not have a place in your kitchen so make sure your kitchen ware is the best for you.

Cutting edge:
Always make sure to keep your knives sharp: sharper blades cut better and don’t cause injuries as often. Sharpen them on a regular basis with a knife sharpener as dull knives are dangerous and actually make cutting much more difficult. Of course, you know that you should always cut away from your body when using a knife to avoid it slipping and cutting you. Also make sure you’re using the right knife for the job, a quality knife set can make all the difference.

Wet paper towel for a better grip:
Not only are cutting boards that slide on the counter annoying, but they are also extremely dangerous when you’re holding a knife and trying to chop something. Wet a paper towel and lay it under the board and it won’t budge, it also helps absorb acids when cutting onions!

Make it flat:
A good trick is to always cut the ends off onions, tomatoes, melons etc. (any food that does not stay stable on the cutting board) to give them a flat surface. This allows you to have complete control of the item as you chop.

 

A recipe for injury: when accidents are most likely to happen

So you think you’re all set, because you bought the right ingredients and have the perfect wine out. But accidents are luring when you are...

  1. Preparing food: Number one injury in the kitchen: Cuts or scrapes from knives (either when cutting food with them or when getting them out and happening to hit the blade) or other instruments such as vegetable peelers, can openers etc. Painful cuts are the result.

      Read our first aid tips for cuts and grazes here

  2. Cooking: heat from boiling or hot pots, from the oven or from a wok or steamer – this is often the cause for burns or scalds, which are painful. Especially when hot oil or grease is part of the equation.

  3. Handling dishes: anything from clearing dishes away, removing china from the dishwasher can cause cuts from breaking china or glasses. Or a wine bottle that slipped from your hand. Cuts are the result. 

Find out how to treat cuts and grazes here

 

Kitchen safety checklist:

Clever wound care products to have around the kitchen

Ouch, something happened? Make sure to have the right wound dressing at hand. You are working around water and want to keep chopping, cooking etc. so choose wound dressings that stay in place and have the right properties to let you keep fussing about the food rather than your injury.

Check the Elastoplast range for convenient essentials and solutions to have at hand in a kitchen drawer.

  1. Elastoplast Antibacterial Water Resistant Plasters protects wounds from dirt and bacteria to reduce the risk of infection.

  2. Elastoplast Aqua Protect Waterproof Plasters are waterproof yet breathable, and perfectly shaped for the tip of your finger, so they will stay in place while you cut etc.

  3. Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Waterproof Plastersoffers multiple plaster shapes and sizes for various little mishaps in the kitchen – and is perfect when working around water.

Last but not least – some more kitchen safety tips for hobby chefs:

Tongs as an extension of your hand
A set of tongs can be found in almost every cook’s hand in professional kitchens – usually gripped low down on the handle for maximum control. It will protect your fingertips from injury, and will give you maximum grip when flipping meat, pulling a pan out of the oven, stabilise a steak while slicing, etc.

Handle with care!
Make sure to turn pot handles away from the front of the stove. Burns from scalding are of the most common injuries in the kitchen.

Don’t play peek-a-boo!
Scalding can occur from hot steam as well. Be careful when lifting lids or opening ovens with hot food. Protect hands with oven mittens or a towel.

Towel to go
Another professional chef’s tip: Always have a towel either slung over your shoulder or tucked into your apron. This way you can have it handy to hold the lids when draining pots of boiling water, wipe your hands when wet --- the list goes on and on. 

FAQ (3)

  • Why is kitchen safety important?

    Having awareness of your surroundings is a must, especially in the kitchen. By being on alert in preparation, cooking and clean-up, you can avoid hazards that are present in the kitchen that can cause accidents.

  • What are kitchen safety risks?

    There are many common injuries that can occur in the kitchen. Cuts from knives, burns from hot stoves or kitchenware, injury caused by whitegoods and slips from food and liquids are just some of the typical risks in the kitchen.

  • What are the standard safety measures in the kitchen?

    There are many little things you can do to make your kitchen safer. Using oven mitts when handling hot items and the oven is a simple way to avoid burns, wipe up spills when they occur to avoid slipping, store knives properly in a knife block or invest in knife guards to prevent cuts and never use your hand to test the temperature!

Always see your doctor if the wound is deep, bleeding or shows signs of infection like reddening, swelling or warmth. 
Also make sure to seek medical help if you are not able to clean the wound properly.
In case you have diabetes a proper wound care is of special importance. Always discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor and/or podiatrist, even for the care of minor wounds and skin cracks – especially on your feet.
 
Please note that none of the above given tips or recommendations substitute medical advice. Carefully read the instructions for use given in our products' packages. Important: consult a health professional in case of any uncertainty of treating your wound properly.
 
The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care or advice. If you have or suspect a health problem, you should consult your doctor. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it, because of something you have read on this website.
For further information regarding Elastoplast products, please contact us via email on Australia.ConsumerServices@Beiersdorf.com

Carefully read the instructions for use given in our products' packages.