Flames, electric appliances, hot
stoves, sharp knives, slippy floors. The kitchen can be a dangerous
place. We asked Alison Jacobson, a national family safety and wellness
expert known as The Safety Mom, for suggestions to keep us—and our
families—safe while we cook.
1. Check your smoke alarm batteries
You
know the rule of thumb: Check them in the fall and spring, when the
clocks change. But it doesn’t hurt to do a monthly test as well. Sick of
false alarms? Jacobson recommends the combination fire alarm (see #2)
so you won’t disable the alarm when you burn toast and forget to reset
it.
2. Install a combination smoke alarm
"It’s
recommended that a smoke detector that uses photoelectric technology
rather than the standard ionization alarm be installed in kitchens,"
Jacobson tells us. "Ionization alarms detect fast-flaming fires; The
photoelectric alarm detects smoldering fires."
Best option? “A combination
photoelectric/ionization alarm, such as this one from First Alert,” she
adds. “If you currently have an ionization alarm, it should be at least
10 feet away from cooking appliances.”
3. Check your carbon-monoxide alarm batteries
Why?
“When a gas oven is malfunctioning, carbon monoxide (CO) can build up
in your kitchen. “Hundreds of Americans die accidentally every year from
CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning
appliances,” warns Jacobson.
4. Make sure you have enough carbon-monoxide alarms
"It’s
important to have a CO detector installed on every floor of your home
to alert you of elevated levels of CO. Symptoms of CO poisoning include
headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea. If anyone in your family is experiencing these symptoms, turn off the gas oven and leave immediately!” Jacobson stresses.
5. Have your oven inspected annually by a professional or your gas company
6. Buy a good fire extinguisher…"Kidde’s
Kitchen Fire Extinguisher is a great choice," says Jacobson, "as it’s
specifically designed for kitchen grease fires—never try to put out a
grease fire with water, as that could actually cause it to increase."
7. …and put it in a practical place"The best place to put the fire extinguisher is by the door of the kitchen so you have easy access."
8. Buy a fire blanket"Fire blankets are another
safety item that should be in all kitchens," says Jacobson. "They are
designed to extinguish small, starting fires."
9. Feel the casing of your microwave"If the outside of the microwave becomes very hot, this could be a sign of trouble," Jacobsen warns.
10. Inspect the microwave power cord"It’s
always important to check the electrical cord of your microwave for any
fraying or damage on a regular basis. And if your circuit breaker
frequently trips when you’re using it, this could be a sign of a serious
electrical issue.
11. Don’t try to fix your microwave!"Most
importantly, if you suspect there is a problem with your microwave,
never try to repair it yourself! There are numerous cases of people
electrocuting themselves trying to fix their microwave," cautions
Jacobson.
12. Check for microwave recall noticesJacobson
tells us: “In 2013, a Consumer Reports article detailed troubling issues
with some microwaves that were turning on by themselves, in particular
KitchenAid and GE models. These two manufacturers had the most
fire-related microwave complaints on SaferProducts.gov, a Consumer
Product Safety Commission website.”
13. Mail in manufacturer’s warranty information"It’s
important that you submit manufacturer’s warranty information so you
can be contacted in the event of a recall," says Jacobson. "If you’ve
moved into a home with a built-in microwave and are unsure, visit
theCPSC website and research whether there’s been a recall with your
oven."
14. Buy a nonslip mat for your kitchen"Falls
in the home are one of the leading causes of injury for people of every
age. There are low-profile floor mats available in every color to match
your flooring. These should be placed in areas where liquids and oils
are most likely to spill, including in front of the refrigerator, sink,
stove, and garbage."
15. Choose top-quality oven mittsJacobson loves silicone mitts with cloth linings:
* They offer the best protection for heat up to at least 450 degrees F.
* They’re easy to clean, and therefore there’s less concern about bacteria or mold.
* The cloth lining making gripping easier, and therefore there’s less chance of dropping a hot dish or pan.
One of the biggest dangers with cloth mitts is that when they get
wet, they can burn terribly. Silicone mitts are waterproof, eliminating
this concern.
16. Keep your knives sharp"Dull knives lead
to more injuries. A dull knife requires you to use more pressure, which
leads to a greater risk of you losing control of it," warns Jacobson.
17. Wear shoes when using a knife!"If it accidentally drops, quickly step back and don’t try to catch it!"
18. Be careful cleaning knivesDouble-check when you’re cleaning a knife to be sure the sharp side is pointing away from you.
19. Store knives sensibly"Store knives in a wooden block, never in a drawer, and make sure it is pushed far back on the counter so kids can’t reach it."
20. Give children a kitchen safety zone"Create
an area for your child to play safely away from the sink and stove where
boiling water could be spilled or a knife dropped," says Jacobson.
21. Keep appliances and cords out of reach of kids"It’s
amazing how far little arms can reach. Be sure that all electrical
appliances are pushed far back on the counter and no cords are
dangling."
22. Don’t let children get up to the counter
"Keep step stools and benches locked away in closets to prevent little ones from climbing up onto the counter."
23. Lock spices away from children
"While
spices are a staple in every kitchen, certain ones can be toxic to
children—keep them stored in a high cabinet, preferably with a lock on
it," Jacobson advises.
24. Give seniors living alone gadgets to keep them safe in the kitchen
"Due
to cognitive impairments such as dementia, the elderly are particularly
at risk for kitchen fires due to unattended cooking.
"
Jacobson’s recommendations:
"The Safe-T-Element are plates
that can be installed over existing burners on electric stoves. An
electronic controller housed inside the oven monitors and controls the
temperature of each burner. The maximum temperature of the burners with
the Safe-T-Element installed will only reach 662 degrees F, which is hot
enough to boil water and safely cook food but not hot enough to ignite
oils and most common fibers.
The Stove Guard for Natural Gas
Stoves is a sensor that will automatically turn off the natural gas
valve if it senses an unsafe level of gas in the kitchen that could be
caused by a gas leak or a flame that has gone out, causing gas to
continuously escape into the room potentially resulting in a fire.
Stove Guard operates in two
modes: In the auto mode, it automatically shuts the stove off if the
user is out of the sensing area longer than a selected time. When the
user returns, the stove is turned on again automatically. The timer mode
allows the stove to operate for a preset amount of time. This mode can
be used when cooking a specific dish. Other features include an audible
alarm that notifies the user when the Stove Guard turns the stove off,
and a fail-safe feature that automatically disables power to the stove
or cook top if the monitoring unit fails or loses power.
Source: Yahoo.
