First Aid in the Kitchen

Knowledge of kitchen first aid supplies and procedures is necessary to keep kitchen patrons and employees safe and injury-free. According to CookeryOnline, two of the most dangerous aspects of a kitchen are fire and knives.

Common Injuries

• CookeryOnline states that the most common kitchen injuries include cuts, burns, eye contamination, reactions to cleaning chemicals, falls, and illnesses from contaminated or poorly cooked food.

Knife Tips

• Take a proactive approach to eliminating knife injuries. Knives should always be well-sharpened and placed in a proper stand or storage device, instead of floating in a drawer. Never leave knives loose in dishwater and always point the knife away from your body.

Prevention/Solution

• According to CookeryOnline, preventative steps should be taken to reduce the risk of kitchen injuries. Help keep kitchen users safe by immediately cleaning spills, never combining cleaning chemicals, keeping flammable liquids out of the kitchen and not overloading electrical outlets.

Warning

• While many kitchen injuries such as cuts, bruises, falls and mild burns do not require medical attention or can be treated in house with a first aid kit, all injuries should be thoroughly examined to determine if professional medical treatment is necessary.

First Aid Kit

• Websites such as e-firstaidsupplies.com offer home kitchen, industrial kitchen and restaurant first aid kits. All first aid kits have different contents; some common items include cold packs, eyewash, knuckle and finger bandages, burn ointments, and gauze.

Fun Fact

• According to TV Squad, Gordon Ramsay---celebrity chef and television personality---cut his finger during a February 2010 cooking segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.