Safety Rules In The Kitchen: A Complete Guide

Every cook should learn about the safety rules in the kitchen, as well as safety control measures.

The kitchen area is a particular corner of the house for cooking lovers, besides being a common place with free access for family, friends, and pets.

Although modern kitchens have styles that seek to make their use more efficient and sophisticated decorations to allow everyday tasks easier, kitchens also have hidden hazards that are unnoticed by our sight.

As a result, the risk of having an accident may be about to happen.

The Safety Rules In The Kitchen: A Complete Guide will provide an overview of how to stay safe when cooking.

“Everything happens in the kitchen. Life happens in the kitchen.

-Andrew Zimmern – American culinary expert, chef, restaurateur, and tv personality

You can also watch this and other exclusive GA Originals on YouTube.

Jump to Section

1. Accident, Incident, Hazard, And Risk: Understanding The Difference
2. Safety Rules In The Kitchen: How To Eliminate And Reduce Hazards
3. How to Prevent a Fire in the Kitchen
4. 23 Safety Tips To Consider When Cooking

Accident, Incident, Hazard, And Risk: Understanding The Difference

You may have heard someone saying, “This is dangerous! Someone almost got hurt! The chances of an accident happening are high!!”

The accident likelihood is directly related to a hazard and risk to which a person or property is exposed.

As part of the basic Safety Rules In The Kitchen, it is crucial to understand the difference between an accident, incidents, hazards, and risks.

Accident

An accident is an unexpected event that results in injuries, illness, or property damage.

For example, burns, cuts, fires, explosions, and flooding.

Incident

An incident, also known as a “near-miss,” is an unplanned event that does not result in personal injury or property damage.

For example, spilled oil can lead to a fall; broken glass may result in cuts; an industrial mixer without protection has the potential to cause injury; or a hot dish can burn your hands.

Yet, Incidents or near misses are much more common than accidents. Therefore, whenever a near miss happens, make sure to take the necessary precautions to avoid accidents in the future.

Hazard

Hazard is any source that has the potential to cause injury, illness, or property damage, such as knives, hot oil, boiling water, chemicals, and gas, among others.

Risk

Risk is the probability that a hazardous source will generate an accident, such as:

• Knives: risk of cutting.
• Hot oil or boiling water: risk of burns.
• Hole on the floor: risk of trip and fall.
• Gas leak: risk of fire and explosion.

As in professional kitchens, there are risks of accidents in home kitchens, but in different proportions.

The risks are divided into five categories:

1. Risk of accidents

It is anything that puts a person in danger and can cause injury. For example, an exposed electrical wire, an unprotected food slicer blade, or a wet floor. 

2. Ergonomic risks

Heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and improper posture are ergonomic risks that may harm the body’s musculoskeletal system. The most frequent injuries are to the shoulders, neck, and back.

3. Physical risks

Various forms of energy are considered physical risk agents, such as noise, heat, cold, humidity, vibration, etc.

For instance, work in a walk-in freezer at -40ºF, load a walk-in stove at 194ºF, or operate equipment with noise above 90 dB.

4. Chemical risks

The substances that can penetrate the body through breathing, absorbed by the skin, or ingested are considered chemical risks.

For example, cleaning products, lubricating oil, dust, smoke, and mist.

5. Biological risks

Biological risk agents are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Improper food handling can cause cross-contamination, transferring bacteria from one surface to another.

For instance, use the same cutting board to handle raw chicken and then cut vegetables or handle food near the waste disposal area.

Safety Rules In The Kitchen: How To Eliminate And Reduce Hazards

There are hazards and risks in all places, whether at work or at home. Knowing how to eliminate or reduce them guarantees a safe and healthy space.

Check out now how to do it in your kitchen area.

Kitchen Hazard Elimination

Whenever we say the hazard was eliminated, it was because the source that could lead to an accident was removed from the scene. For example, consider replacing the gas stove with an electric one to eliminate the risks of leakage, fire, and explosion.

Kitchen Risks Reduction

The source that could lead to an accident was not eliminated but controlled or neutralized by reducing the risks. As a result, the risk of an accident occurring is low. For example:

• Heat Protection: Use thermal gloves to handle hot pans instead of dish towels to reduce the chances of burning your hands.
• Equipment Protection: Operating a food slicer, industrial mixer, or processor with proper moving parts protections reduces injury risk.
• Ergonomics: Use a cart or ask someone for help to carry heavy objects to reduce the chances of back or shoulder injuries.

How to Prevent a Fire in the Kitchen

How does a fire start? And how can we avoid it?

The fire triangle represents the three elements necessary to start a fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen.

Understand how each one works.

• Heat: Required to ignite the reaction between fuel and oxygen.
• Fuel: Will provide energy for burning.
• Oxygen: Will chemically react with fuel and heat.

 In the right combination of these elements, a fire naturally occurs. However, it can be prevented or extinguished by removing any of them.

A pot catches fire because these three elements are present.

• Oxygen: Open kitchen environment.
• Fire: Flame from the stove burner.
• Fuel: Oil or Fat.

If a pan with grease catches fire, proceed as follows:

1. NEVER to pour water on the fire!!! This would only increase the flames making the situation uncontrollable.
2. CAREFULLY cover the flame using a metal lid, baking sheet, or a wet cloth wrung out to eliminate the oxygen. 
3. TURN OFF the heat, and DO NOT move the pan! 
4. Let the pan COOL DOWN FIRST, and then remove it. 

Now watch what happens when you throw water over the burning oil.

23 Safety Tips To Consider When Cooking

Whether you are a professional cook or a culinary enthusiast, it is essential to adopt all safety measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of accidents in the kitchen.

Making sure to shut down the oven and stove after use, checking the equipment before handling, keeping your knives in good condition, and carefully reading the manual of any equipment before operating it, are simple tasks that significantly reduce the risk of accidents.

Check out other safety tips to consider in your kitchen.

Bottom Line

Modern kitchens with their equipment hide hazards that can cause injuries. However, the key to working efficiently and safely is to become familiar with kitchen tasks, adopt simple precaution measures, respect your body limits, and maintain a clean and organized environment.

Following these safety tips, you and your guests can enjoy a safe, healthy, high-quality dinner.

Did you like this article?

I hope this article has helped you understand how to stay safe while cooking. To learn more, take a look at Chef Knives: Learn How To Use It Safely And Efficiency.

Leave a comment below and share our content.

Help our community grow by following our social media on  Spotify,   Instagram,   Facebook,   Youtube, and Tiktok. And stay up to date with the news from the world of Gastronomy.

Don’t forget to tag @gastrovinoacademy on Instagram and hashtag it #gastrovinoacademy.

Cheers🍷