11. Staying safe in your kitchen
The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the home, and it’s also where accidents are most likely to happen. These can include burns, fires, slips, cuts and food-related illness.
Taking a few simple precautions can help keep you and others safe.
Common risks
- cooking-related fires and burns
- hot liquids and pans
- slips and trips on wet floors
- cuts from knives and sharp objects
- food poisoning from poor hygiene
How to stay safe
You can reduce the risk of accidents by:
- never leaving cooking unattended
- turning off appliances as soon as you’ve finished using them
- keeping worktops and floors clear and clean
- carrying hot pans and liquids carefully and over short distances
- using back hob rings where possible and turning pan handles inwards
- keeping children and pets supervised in the kitchen
- avoiding loose clothing or hair near heat or flames
- not climbing on chairs or furniture to reach high items
- testing your smoke alarm every month
Food safety and hygiene
- wash your hands before, during and after cooking
- clean food preparation areas before and after use
- take extra care when handling raw meat or fish
- keep fridges clean and set below 5°C
- check use-by dates and avoid eating out-of-date food
Repairs and safety concerns
If something in your kitchen needs repairing to prevent an accident, please contact us via our Report a council housing fault or repair page.