The kitchen is the heart of the home, but in Homestead and across the country, it is also the site of many serious injuries, including burns. Further, what happens in your kitchen is also important for helping you avoid food-borne illness.
There are many ways you can make your kitchen safer:
- Check your appliances. Each year, Homestead products liability cases are launched because home appliances or household devices are defective in some way. Your kitchen appliances are among some of the hardest-working in the house, so take the time to check them. Is there a recall on any of the appliances in your home? Are any of the appliances or devices in your kitchen bend, worn down too much, or not working properly? If so, it may be time to get a technician in to check.
- Keep foods at the right temperatures. Consuming raw flour, meat, or eggs, even in small amounts, can make you sick. Getting Salmonella or E. coli poisoning from incorrectly cooked or stored meals can make your whole family sick. Use a thermometer to keep food at the right temperature and store leftover food promptly instead of leaving it out.
- Clean surfaces thoroughly and often. Bacteria can lurk on cutlery, chopping boards, counters, and other surfaces. Clean your kitchen often, using hot water and soap, especially after cooking or handling raw meat, dough, or eggs. Wash hands often when preparing food to avoid cross-contamination.
- Keep your kitchen safer from fire. Make sure there is a working smoke detector and fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Many home fires and burns happen in those room of the house, so make sure you watch cooking food and keep any flammable materials well away from stoves and hot surfaces. Use oven mitts when handling any hot containers.
- Keep an eye on your food. Throw out food with any signs of spoilage, but also set up alerts for food recalls. Keep the food labels of what you purchase, including the UPC code, batch number, and brand name number. This will make it easier for you to see if you have been affected by any recalls.
- Do not keep items in your stove. Some people will run out of storage place and “temporarily” place items—such as plastic containers—in an oven when it’s not in use. The problem is that anyone who turns on the oven may not think to check, putting you at risk of a fire.
- Know what to do in the event of a fire. If you do get a grease fire or oven fire, stay calm. If a stovetop fire starts, turn off the stove and quickly and carefully place a pot lid or cookie sheet over the pan or pot. If an oven fire starts, shut off the oven and keep the door closed. Lack of oxygen should put the flames out. If you don’t notice the fire right away, you may need to use a fire extinguisher or call 911 for help.
If you have been injured or have suffered property damage due to a defective product or someone’s negligence, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Homestead personal injury attorney.