32 Kitchen Safety

[Company_Name] Health & Safety Plan Kitchen Safety
Chapter 1 - Kitchen Safety
[Date_Created] Page: 1
Copyright Protected 1991 – Current www.oshasafetymanual.com All rights reserved. Do not duplicate without written permission. * 800-347-1119
1.1 General Rules

What is Kitchen Safety? It's keeping your kitchen accident-free as you cut, chop, slice,
dice, mince, mix and perform other kitchen-related duties. The safety rules presented in
this chapter can help prevent accidents that might lead to: Pain and discomfort from
cuts, bumps, bruises, burns and more serious mishaps. Disruptions in work schedules,
vacation plans and social life. Financial problems due to lost wages and unexpected
medical bills.
1.2 Simple Prevention

Are Kitchen Accidents really Preventable? Yes...if you're willing to follow a recipe for
safety. Kitchen safety is a blend of these basic ingredients: Know-How - Smart workers
learn to use equipment the right way. Common Sense - Sensible workers avoid taking
dangerous shortcuts and unnecessary risks. A "Can-Do" Attitude - Positive people
believe that they can prevent accidents, and they do! Learn more about how you can
make safety a specialty of the house.
1.3 Use of Care

To help maintain a firm footing in the kitchen, pay special attention to: Floor Surfaces - a
slip on a banana peel may create a comic television scene, but in "real life" a slip can be
dangerous. To prevent slipping: Clean up any dropped food, spilled liquids and grease
immediately. Wear properly fitted, slip-resistant shoes. Clean entire floor thoroughly with
a degreasing agent each night. Post a "wet floor" sign when necessary, to alert others
to slippery conditions. Aisles/Walkways - Anyone who works in a kitchen understands
the need for unobstructed aisles and walkways. Many tripping accidents can be
prevented if you: Keep passageways free of carts, boxes, trash cans, mop buckets and
other obstacles. Close oven doors immediately after inserting or removing food. To
avoid other possible dangers, make sure that you: Use the proper equipment (step
stools, stepladders) for reaching upper shelves. Never climb on shelves, boxes or
chairs. Don't run or engage in horseplay. Tell your supervisor about any condition that
could cause a fall (such as a loose tile, spilled liquids, and inadequate lighting).
Remember--people never plan to have accidents, but they can plan to avoid them!
1.4 Cuts and Bruises

Cuts and bruises are a common type of kitchen injury. But, you can avoid them by being
extra careful with: Knives, Remember to: Keep knives sharp, since dull knives slip
easier than sharp ones. Choose the proper knife for the job. Use a cutting board. Wipe
knives clean by moving your cloth from the dull edge to the sharp edge. Cut away from
your body, and don't hack. (Wear cut-resistant gloves, as recommended.) Let falling
knives fall. (Never attempt to catch them!) Store knives in their proper places.
Dishes/Glasses: To avoid breakage: Store glasses and cups upside down. (Never stack
them.) Don't pick up several glasses in one hand by inserting your fingers into the
glasses. Never put glassware in a sink used for washing pots. If you break a glass item:
Use a broom and dustpan, or a damp paper or cloth, (not your bare hands) to pick up
the pieces. Drain water before trying to remove glass from a sink. Label some paper
with the word "glass." Then wrap the glass in the paper, and discard in the proper
receptacle. Machinery: Be sure that you: Operate machines only if you're trained and
authorized. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe operation. Wear a hair net if
you have long hair. Keep all guards on equipment. Turn off the switch, and pull the plug
before you clean or adjust equipment. Use special care when operating rotating
choppers and vertical cutter mixers. Use a wooden tamper when operating food
choppers and meat grinders. Avoid putting your hands inside a garbage disposal. (If you
must retrieve an object, make sure the power is off!) To avoid other possible hazards,
don't forget to: Wear gloves, and watch for nails, wires and splinters, if you must handle
crates. Use a stiff brush for scrubbing. Steel wool can cause cuts. Wear cut-resistant
gloves when cleaning slicers. Remove can lids completely. Pull -- don't push -- carts
through doorways. Keep the work area clean and orderly.
1.5 Kitchen Machines

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the proper use and care of every piece of
equipment. Take special precautions with ovens, ranges, steam tables, fryers, pressure
cookers, dishwashers, and cleaning agents. Here's how: Ovens: Be especially careful
when lighting a gas oven. First, make sure the pilot is lit. Then, stand to one side as you
light the oven. Get help when removing heavy pans from hot ovens. Use dry mitts or
potholders. Ranges: Assume that all objects on the range (and the range itself) are hot.
Use dry mitts or potholders to move pots, pans, etc. Keep utensil handles away from
burners, and don't let handles stick out beyond the range's edge. Ask for help if you
must move a heavy container full of hot liquid or food. Direct steam away from you
when removing the lid of a pot or pan, by raising the far edge of the lid with a mitt or
potholder. Steam Tables: Tilt food containers away from you as you insert them into the
well. Avoid reaching across steam tables when serving food. Turn off the valves when
the tables aren't in use. Be sure the equipment is cool before cleaning it. Fryers: Keep
grease from building up on fryer and frying area. Do not overfill. Fill to the mark, or not
more than 3 inches from the top of the fryer to prevent overflows. Be especially careful
when filtering fat. Pressure Cookers: Use these devices only if you have properly
trained. Keep a close watch on gauges. Always vent the pressure cooker before
opening. Dishwashers: Avoid handling very hot dishes with your bare hands. Turn off
the steam, and allow the dishwasher to cool before cleaning it. (Spray cold water on the
interior to speed the cooling process.) Cleaning Agents can cause burns and other
hazards. To avoid possible problems, carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions for
their use, and never mix cleaning agents.
1.6 Kitchen Lifting

Ease the strain of lifting and moving objects. Muscle and back injuries can be very
painful. To help prevent them, follow these guidelines for lifting and carrying, handling
heavy or bulky materials, using team lifting, and lifting over your head. Lifting and
Carrying: Stand close to the object with feet spread for balance. Don't twist your body to
get into position. Squat down, keeping your back straight and your knees bent. Grasp
the object firmly. Breathe in to inflate your lungs. (This helps support your spine.) Lift
smoothly with your legs, slowly straightening them. Then return your back to a vertical
position. Hold the object firmly and close to your body as you carry it. o Turn by
moving your feet, not by twisting your body. Handling Heavy, Bulky Materials: Use
dollies or hand trucks for moving materials packed in bulky burlap sacks, crates, boxes
and barrels. Store heavy, bulky materials on lower shelves, or on pallets. This
eliminates the need to lift heavy objects over your head and makes materials easy to
reach. "Team" Lifting: Two or more people should work together any time an object
must be placed high on a shelf or can't be easily handled by one person. To help ensure
that the lift proceeds smoothly, one person should give the signals. Lifting over your
head is usually a two-person task. One person may be able to lift a box from the floor to
waist level quite easily, because this movement relies on leg muscles. But it may take
two people to lift the same box to an overhead shelf, because this motion uses weaker
arm and back muscles. (Avoid storing heavy or bulky items on top shelves.)
1.7 Safety Around Kitchen Electric

Don't let electricity shock you! The same electricity that powers so many work-saving
appliances can be deadly, unless you treat it with respect. Unplug cords properly by
grasping the plug (not the cord) and pulling. Report defective plugs, as well as frayed,
worn or broken cords to your supervisor. Don't overload circuits by inserting too many
plugs into a single outlet. This could cause an electrical fire. Check ground connections
on all electrical appliances. Equipment should be grounded with a 3-prong plug or a
separate ground wire. Be sure your hands are dry and your feet aren't in contact with
any water, whenever you operate electrical appliances. Clean equipment only after
you've turned off the switch and pulled the plug.
Keep your eyes on the electricity in your kitchen, it can electrocute you, or burn your
place down if it gets loose.
 Keep an eye on all electrical cords. Watch for any breaks or cuts, or frayed areas
where the cord passes over an edge or something has sat on it. Repair any
damage you find.
 Don't overload circuits by using multiple plugs, extension cords or the like. If you
have old wiring, it is often a good idea to get it checked by a professional for load
carrying capacity.
 Don't use appliances near the sink or other water. If one falls in, it can electrocute
anyone nearby. If you must have a wall socket near the sink, make sure it has a
"Ground Fault Interrupter" type socket assembly.
1.8 Glass Utensils on Kitchen Burners, Explosion Danger

Do not place glass utensils on kitchen burners or over fire. They can go off like a
grenade. Glass cookware should be Pyrex.
1.9 Hot Glass Utensils Can Break, Wet Hot Pads Can Burn.
Other dangers to be award of include putting hot glass dishes on cold or wet
surfaces....such as a hot coffee pot on a cold surface. It'll break almost every time.
Another one to avoid, is not using a damp/wet potholder to pick up something hot.
Doing so will get you steam-burned.
1.10 Kitchen Fire Safety

Take stock of your fire safety know-how. Thousands of kitchen fires are reported each
year. For safety's sake, be familiar with evacuation procedures, how to put out small
fires, fire extinguisher use, and prevention techniques. Evacuation Procedures: Plan an
escape route that includes at least two fire exits. Know the location of fire alarms. Don't
hesitate to use them in emergencies. Post the telephone numbers of emergency
response personnel where you can find them quickly. How to Put Out Small Fires:
Extinguish cooking fires by turning off the range, covering the pan, and removing it from
the burner. Smother oven fires by closing the oven door and turning off the heat. Fire
Extinguisher Use: Know the location of fire extinguishers and know how to use them.
Always leave yourself a clear escape path. Have someone call the fire department. (Fire
fighting is best handled by trained professionals.) Know the correct type of fire
extinguisher to use for each type of fire. Some Prevention Techniques: Clean range
hoods and ducts regularly. Keep convection ovens clean. Keep the range free of spilled
fats, sugar, sauces, etc. Clean broiler trays containing grease drippings immediately
after use. Store combustible materials away from heat sources. Never take chances! If
your safety is threatened, get out quickly!
1.11 Kitchen First Aid

Know the location of the first-aid cabinet, how to get medical help and how to give basic
first aid for cuts, burns, chemicals in the eye, fractures, electrical shock, and sprains and
strains. Cuts - Control bleeding by applying direct pressure and elevating the injured
area (if there is evidence of a fracture). Burns - Immerse minor burns in cold water.
Then cover the area with a clean, dry dressing. Do not apply butter, ointment or any
homemade remedy. Chemicals in the Eye - Flood eye with water for 15 minutes. Then
cover eye with dry dressing and get medical help immediately. Fractures - Prevent
movement of the injured part, treat for shock, and get medical help as quickly as
possible. Electrical Shock - Turn off the power by pulling the plug or flipping the switch
to OFF. Never use wet hands. Then, give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR, if
necessary and if you are trained to do so. Treat for shock and get medical aid. Sprains
and Strains - To reduce swelling, apply an ice pack or ice wrapped in a cloth. Bandage
the area (but not too tightly), and elevate the injured part. Do not hesitate to get
immediate medical assistance if an accident occurs. Promptly report all injuries to your
supervisor.
1.12 Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment

Always wash your hands before beginning to work in the kitchen. Also, wash your
hands at regular intervals as necessary while you work. Keep nails clean to prevent the
spread of germs. Cover any cuts with waterproof dressings. Change the dressings
when work in the kitchen is finished. Remove any jewelry that might get in the way and
tie back hair. Never wear dangling sleeves that may get caught in appliances or catch
on fire.
1.13 Lifting and Carrying

Use the proper lifting techniques when lifting and carrying heavy loads in the kitchen.
Clear the path you intend to take. When lifting, bend the knees and use the legs to lift.
Be careful when carrying liquids, especially hot ones. Never lift beyond your own lifting
capacity.
1.14 Knives
Knives are one of the most useful tools in the kitchen, but also one of the most
dangerous. Always cut away from the body on a proper cutting surface. Keep the
blades sharp and clean. Keep the knife grips clean. Never leave knives lying in water as
it can injure an unsuspecting dishwasher. When wiping blades, always point the cutting
edge away from the hand. Lay knives flat and away from counter edges. If a knife
should fall, do not try to catch it. Pick it up after it has fallen. Always return clean knives
to their proper storage areas when done working with them.
Here are some tricks that will help you keep from being hurt when you work with
your kitchen knives and the other sharp edges around the kitchen.
 Keep your knives sharp. If your knife is sharp, it will slide easily through what you
are cutting, with little force involved. If the knife is dull, you have to force it to do
the cutting, and if you slip a little, there is all that force that makes the knife
glance off anything in its way, and often cut the heck out of it.
 When you are using a knife, don't cut with the edge toward you or your fingers. If
you slip, the blade keeps going toward you, and can easily get you. Pay a lot of
attention to where the edge of your sharp blade is pointing, and make sure it
cannot get you if you slip a bit.
 Don't leave sharp knives loose in a drawer. Not only will banging around in a
drawer ruin the good sharp edge you have on your knives, someone for sure will
reach in the drawer and come out with a handful of knife, and it will probably be
you.
 If you are working with or handling a knife, and you drop it, stand back and let it
fall, don't try to catch it. This sounds elementary, but lots of instincts say catch it,
and that can really hurt.
 If you have a dirty knife, don't toss it in the dishwater. There is a good chance the
dishwasher, which may be you, will come up with a handful of sharp knife edge.
Banging around in the dishwater will also ruin a good edge. Wash the knives
separately.
 When you are working with a knife, and you lay it down, don't lay it down with the
edge pointing up. It is hard to see the edge, and someone will put their hand
down on it, making lots of blood.
 Any kind of broken glass is incredibly sharp and dangerous. Clean it carefully up,
and make sure you don't leave pieces of it in the sponge for the next guy who
grabs the sponge to find. Don't just toss broken glass in the trash bag to bite the
guy who picks up the bag, wrap it in old newspaper or something, and if there is
a lot of it, warn all concerned. Don't ever break glass on purpose and toss it in
the trash bag you are going to throw over your hip, as did my old dishwasher, S.
Chavez.
1.15 Falls and Spills

Always clean up messes and spills to prevent falls. Close cabinet doors and drawers
when done. Use a sturdy step ladder to reach for things. Do not step on objects that are
unstable.
Soapy water, grease and oils, and things like the traditional banana peel are standard in
kitchens and are all slippery. Here are a couple ways to keep slips and falls to a
minimum.
 If you spill something on the floor, clean it up. Keep a mop or such handy for this
purpose.
 Often when you are working in the kitchen you are moving fast. Don't leave
boxes, stools, bags of groceries or anything else out on the floor where they can
trip up a fast moving cook.
 Glazed floor tile is beautiful, but dangerous. Not only does glazed tile guarantee
that anything breakable that is dropped on it will break, but a thin coating of oil or
soapy water can make it slick as ice. If you have a choice, avoid glazed tile for
kitchen floors.
1.16 Stoves
Stoves can be a source of many accidents in the kitchen. Always make sure the pilot
lights work on gas stoves. If they are not, turn the dials to off and wait for the gas to
disperse before relighting. Never leave pan handles over burners. Keep hot dishes and
crockery out of reach of others to avoid burns. Use oven mitts when handling hot
dishes. Round pot holders or mitts are preferable. When folded diagonally, square mitts
can get into the flame and catch on fire. Use caution when working with steam to
prevent burns.
1.17 Fire
Kitchen fires can be serious. They often involve igniting combustibles and flare-ups of
things being cooked. Defects in ovens, burners, electrical and gas connections are also
hazardous.
Keep flammable materials away from range or stove. If the stove is near a window, use
short, flame-resistant curtains. Do not put napkins, towels or paper containers on the
range. Watch cooking pots and use lowest practical heat. Use care when lighting ovens
on gas ranges that do not have a self-lighting feature. Check that all burners and oven
are off when finished and before going out or retiring. Teach children how to properly
use cooking equipment. Do not use flammable fuels to start a fire in a cook stove. For
outdoor grills, use the starter fluids or electrical igniters made for that purpose.
When a fire occurs, assess the situation. Always give yourself a place to escape. If it is
possible to safely turn off the electricity or gas feeding the fire, do so. If a pan is on fire,
shut off the heat and tightly cover the fire with a lid. This should be done only if the fire
is small. Never pour water on a pan fire involving grease, or try to carry it to the sink or
outdoors.
If the above methods have failed, use a fire blanket, fire extinguisher or baking soda to
put out the fire. When using a fire blanket, cover your hands with it and gently throw the
blanket over the fire. Fire extinguishers should be sprayed at least one yard from the fire
and aimed directly above the fire in the vapor area. Test the extinguisher before
approaching the fire. Sweep it from side to side until the fire is out. Baking soda should
be sprinkled or thrown onto the fire.
1.18 Fire and Hot Oil Safety in the Kitchen

Here is some very important knowledge that can help you keep from being hurt when
you work with fire and other hot things around the kitchen.
 "The Fat is on the Fire, Beware..."
This is an old and well known saying that means that things are happening,
important things that you should pay attention to. This is most literally true around
kitchens. Most kitchen fires, and lots of the restaurants that burn down, burn
because someone started heating fat or oil and forgot about it. The oil gets hotter
and hotter, smokes a bit, and then bursts into flame, and it makes great fuel! A
cardinal rule in the kitchen: when "The Fat is on the Fire", PAY ATTENTION!
 Deep Fat Fryers
In addition to being fire hazards from the oil, deep fat fryers have other
dangerous traits. One thing to pay particular attention to is never, ever get a
glass of water, a drink, or any other liquid that is not cooking oil where it can spill
into the fryer. If it does, it turns into steam instantly, and can violently spray hot oil
in all directions.
Watch the electrical cord carefully. Don't leave it where something might snag it,
and dump the load of hot oil about. I had a friend once who left the cord to his
deep fat fryer across a doorway, and there were kids in the house. One of them
ran through the door, and the cord dragged all that hot oil right at him.
Also, be careful even when you add food to a deep fat fryer. If the fat is too hot,
or if there are pockets of liquid in the prepared food, the hot fat can spray about.
 Steam is Invisible, and Very Dangerous
Steam is often thought of as the cloud of visible vapor that comes out of a teapot.
Wrong! The visible part is just the part of the steam cloud that has cooled down
to under the boiling point of water and is visible as a cloud of condensed water
droplets. Real, live, dangerous steam is water vapor that is above the boiling
point of water, often way above it, and escaping confinement. It can be highly
pressurized and moving very fast, and is almost invisible as it escapes its
confinement. It causes real nasty burns. Be particularly wary of pressure
cookers, steam pipes, water into super heated environments, and boilers.
As a small, operant reminder of steam, always remember that it will rise out of a
boiling pot of water when you take off the cover. Remove the cover far side first
so the rising steam doesn't scald your hand.
 Here are some other Burn Safety tips to remember:
If you take a hot pan or a cover from the fire and put it on a counter, leave a hot
pad on the hot lid or utensil as a warning to the others in the kitchen that it is hot.
(And tell them this is the way this message is conveyed.) In many kitchens a
dusting of flour on the utensil is the warning that it is fresh off the fire and hot.
Always have at least a couple of fire extinguishers available and learn how to use
them. Get some professional training in this, the people that service your
extinguishers can probably arrange a bit of training, and you should get as much
as possible. A good quick person that knows what they are doing can stop a fire
in its tracks with an extinguisher. Someone who doesn't know what they are
doing around a good, quick kitchen fire can easily get themselves killed.
Don't let the pan handles on the stove stick out over the floor. Not only can
curious kids get to them, but they can snag on clothing and spill. Turn them to the
side, but don't let them extend over adjacent burners.
1.19 Food Safety

Some flu symptoms may actually be mild cases of food poisoning. Food needs to be
prepared, cooked and stored properly to ensure safety. Fresh foods need to be washed
with water before cutting or eating. Follow the directions on package labels when
handling meats. Always clean contaminated surfaces before putting something on them.
If there is a question about the freshness of a food, discard it. Store eggs in the
refrigerator for no more than three weeks after purchase. Wash the tops of cans before
opening them.
In the event of a power outage, foods stored in the refrigerator and freezer will stay
fresh for a period of time if the doors are left closed. A full, tightly packed freezer will
stay frozen for 48 hours if the door is closed. A partially filled freezer will last for 24
hours. Any cooked foods that thaw should be eaten immediately or thrown away.
Uncooked food that still has ice crystals on it or is still cold (40 degrees F) can be safely
refrozen.
Following basic safety rules in the kitchen can help reduce the chance of fires,
accidents and food poisonings. Make everyone who uses the kitchen aware of these
rules and enforce them.
1.20 Food Poisoning, Spoilage and Temperature Control

Keep foods either hot or cold. The bacteria that cause spoilage and food poisoning grow
best when food is lukewarm. Be especially careful with raw poultry, seafood and foods
with a base of eggs, such as mayonnaise or egg salad, or bread, like stuffings or
puddings.
 Make sure the temperature in your refrigerator is 40 degrees or under. Get a
good thermometer for the fridge, keep it in there where you can see it, and check
it often.
 Keep shrimp, lobster, oysters and such in the refrigerator on ice. Ideally, put the
seafood on top of the ice, and the ice in a colander or other bowl with holes in it
so that when the ice melts it can drain into another container.
 When you want to refrigerate a hot dish, first leave it for a bit in a cool spot with
the lid ajar so that it can cool down before you put it in the refrigerator. If you put
a hot dish in before it cools, it will warm up the refrigerator, endangering
everything else in there.
 A soon as you have served a stuffed bird such as a turkey, remove the stuffing
that is left in the bird so that it can cool down faster.
1.21 Chemicals in the Kitchen

In addition to the foodstuffs, there are a lot of chemicals in the kitchen compliment. Here
are some that are pertinent to safety:
 Drain cleaners, bleaches and strong acids can be dangerous. Never mix different
types of these products, explosions or dangerous gasses may result. Make sure
these are always used strictly according to the directions on the package, and
make sure that the containers are properly sealed when not in use.
 Carbon monoxide results from incomplete burning of fuel. Monoxide poisoning
can result from improperly adjusted or poorly vented gas appliances. Have yours
professionally checked occasionally. Also, never use charcoal briquettes or the
like to cook or heat indoors.
 Volatiles, such as cleaning fluids, gasoline, kerosene and such are often
flammable, can easily cause fires and explosions, and should never be stored in
a kitchen.
 Pesticides such as bug killers, roach poison and rodent bait should be
considered dangerous. If you get them on your hands, wash them off. When you
use them, make sure there is no uncovered food they can get into. Be sure they
are not accessible to children or pets. Store carefully, and preferably not in the
kitchen.
 If you must store cleaning chemicals and other possibly toxic non-food items in
the kitchen, always store them on shelves below foodstuffs, so if they leak, they
can't get into your food.

32 Kitchen Safety

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

32 Kitchen Safety

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

32 Kitchen Safety

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

[Company_Name] Health & Safety Plan Kitchen Safety

Chapter 1 - Kitchen Safety

1.1 General Rules

1.2 Simple Prevention

1.3 Use of Care

1.4 Cuts and Bruises

1.5 Kitchen Machines

1.6 Kitchen Lifting

1.7 Safety Around Kitchen Electric

1.8 Glass Utensils on Kitchen Burners, Explosion Danger

1.10 Kitchen Fire Safety

1.11 Kitchen First Aid

1.12 Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment

1.13 Lifting and Carrying

1.15 Falls and Spills

1.18 Fire and Hot Oil Safety in the Kitchen

 "The Fat is on the Fire, Beware..."

 Deep Fat Fryers

 Steam is Invisible, and Very Dangerous

 Here are some other Burn Safety tips to remember:

1.19 Food Safety

1.20 Food Poisoning, Spoilage and Temperature Control

1.21 Chemicals in the Kitchen

You might also like