kitchen (Photo credit: craftapalooza)

If you stop and think about it there are a lot of hazards around the home, especially in the kitchen.  As well as the risk of burns and cuts, there is also the possibility of electrocution by faulty appliances and exposed wires.  If you have any of these sorts of problems, you need them seen to by an electrician straight away.  You may find that you need to replace your appliances, so buy a good quality Westinghouse fridge or Bosch dishwasher.

Knives in sink

Something you might not think of, but be careful when putting sharp knives in a sink full of water.  It is very easy to get busy with other things and then forget that you have put the knives in the sink to soak. You then run the risk of putting your hands in the sink and accidentally grabbing a sharp knife and cutting yourself.  Always be careful around sharp knives.  Wash them as you finish with them and put them away immediately.

Hot drinks

If you have small children, you always need to be particularly careful with hot liquids.  The kitchen has many hazards for small children.  One way that children often get hurt is pulling hot drinks off the kitchen bench onto themselves.  Always put your cup of tea or coffee in the centre of the bench so they can’t reach it.  Get into the habit and you won’t take these unnecessary risks.

Rear elements

Another thing to remember if you have small children.  Always use the rear elements on your stove top when cooking and have pots and pans sitting on the stove with their handles pointing towards the back.  This way children cannot pull pots of boiling water or food over onto themselves.  Many children have suffered horrific burns because of these types of accidents.

Electrocution

Make sure that your appliances are always working properly and that there are no loose wires, that they are not sending off sparks or that they are not getting unusually hot.  If they are, then there is a problem and they need to be either fixed or replaced.

Slips

If you have tiles or floorboards in your kitchen area, be wary of slipping over.  When you have children they can leave toys lying around all over the place, so be careful you don’t stand on anything and slip over.  This can be very dangerous, especially if you are carrying a pot of boiling water.  Always wipe up any spills straight away too.

Water

You need to also be careful if you have small children and you decide to wash your floors.  It is possible for small children to actually drown in a bucket of water.  If they are small enough, and are playing with the water, there is the possibility that they can fall head first into the bucket and not be able to get out.

Burns

Burns are one of the main accidents that happen in the kitchen.  Always watch what you are doing when cooking, don’t have long sleeves that can be dragged across the stove top which can catch on fire.  Lock small children out of the kitchen area so they can’t touch the oven while it is on.

Childproof

One way to make your kitchen a safer place is to have a child proof gate fitted.

You always need to be alert when working in the kitchen. Stay mindful and protect your family by preventing nasty accidents before they happen