While the holidays are all about spending time with loved ones and cheffing up your favorite dishes, you should keep in mind the safety risks associated with cooking. The kitchen has many potential dangers like open flames on gas stoves, boiling water and dull kitchen knives. Additionally, food safety issues may arise from improper handling of meat and sponges. In this blog, you’ll learn how older adults can stay safe in the kitchen during the holiday season.
Kitchen safety tips
Ensuring food safety begins with how you handle your kitchen tools. The University of Rochester Medical Center says that using a sharp knife is safer than a dull one, so remember to keep your knives properly sharpened. It’s also crucial to choose the right knife for each task; opt for a meat cleaver when cutting steaks, not strawberries. Prioritizing these simple steps can help protect your well-being in the kitchen. Here are some more general kitchen safety tips:
- Use multiple cutting boards
Don’t use the same cutting board for raw meat and produce to prevent salmonella. To avoid cross-contamination, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using two cutting boards: one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and the other for fresh fruits, vegetables and bread.
- Don’t go barefoot
Always wear footwear when you cook to avoid dropping hot, heavy and sharp items onto your feet (Westwood Foot Clinic).
- Wash your hands
Cleanse your hands using hot, soapy water. Clean hands help prevent the spread of germs (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- Sanitize all cooking surfaces
After handling meats and seafood, first clean all kitchen surfaces and tools with warm, soapy water. Then sanitize them with a sanitizing wipe, bleach or another commercial sanitizer. Let the sanitizer sit for several minutes, and then rinse and dry. Cleaning and sanitizing in tandem kills foodborne bacteria such as campylobacter and salmonella that can live for hours on kitchen surfaces.
- Know how to put out a fire
Grease and electrical fires should not be put out with water. Instead, extinguish the fire using baking soda or a pan cover (NFPA). A fire extinguishing blanket is simple and easy to use for older adults. It works for grease or pan fires and is an inexpensive alternative to fire extinguishers. Check out these additional tips from the American Red Cross on preventing house fires.
- Turn your pan handles inward
When cooking, turn your pan handles toward the center of the stovetop. That way, it’s hard to bump them and send hot liquid flying (MedStar Health).
By taking the precautions listed above, older adults can prevent kitchen accidents and injuries before they occur.
Tips for using a gas range:
Some older adults face increased safety concerns due to potential issues with mobility, vision and reaction time, making them more susceptible to burns or accidents from the open flame on gas ranges.
The Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District says when cooking on a gas range, ensure that the area around the stove is clear of flammable materials like towels, potholders and paper products and never leave food on the stove unattended. Use your exhaust fan or open a window to provide ample ventilation – gas stoves produce carbon monoxide, which can cause sudden illness and death (Virginia Department of Health).
Fire safety tips for older adults
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, roughly 179,000 residential cooking fires occur yearly in the United States, with cooking contributing as the leading cause of fires, injuries and casualties. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that unattended cooking was the leading factor contributing to cooking fires and casualties from 2017 to 2021.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that older adults continue to experience a concerningly high proportion of fire death; the risk of older adults dying in a fire is 2.7 times greater than the general population, with the risk worsening as age increases.
Fire alarm and prevention tools
There are many ways to practice fire safety in the home. According to the NFPA, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be used and tested monthly. You should also keep easy-to-use fire extinguishers and a fire blanket handy.
Stove alarms, automatic shut-off devices, and fire alarms with flashing strobe lights can be helpful as well. The American Red Cross will install free smoke alarms in households that cannot afford one.
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