Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
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Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together and share a home cooked meal. It is a busy time of year in most kitchens. Because of this, safety precautions should be taken by all of those cooks, chefs, and helpers to make sure that children do not suffer injuries as a result of fires, burns, sharp objects, or other potential dangers in the kitchen. It has been reported that cooking related fires are the number one cause of fires and related personal injuries in the United States. Thanksgiving Day, due to the increased amount and time spent cooking, brings with it an increased frequency or percentage of kitchen related injuries due to fires and burns. The following safety tips and precautions should be followed to make the Thanksgiving holiday and all other days of the year safer for children, family members, and visitors to the home:
1. Always supervise the kitchen (in the kitchen) when there is an item cooking / cooking appliances are in use.
2. We all know about drinking and driving. Well, it is also dangerous to cook under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Being alert and having good judgment are vital to a safe kitchen.
3. Clear the areas around ovens and stoves to prevent any stray items whether food, plastic, wood, or other from catching on fire.
4. Periodically clean the oven, stovetop, and burners. Also, make sure that all cooking appliances are well maintained and in good repair.
5. Watch what you wear while cooking. Loose clothing like a long shirt, tie, or other clothing item can catch on fire if you are not careful.
These and other tips for kitchen safety are posted at the Safe Kids Website. See Kitchen Safety.