In 2021, the USA employed ~2.6M cooks. A year earlier, the Census calculated there were ~124M households in the USA, and we can safely assume each household had someone who cooked. So ~127M people in the USA are cooking. But, kitchens are seriously not safe places to operate in, so I want to review those dangers, but also what professional Chefs and home cooks have as a uniform that is intended to protect them in the kitchen.
Warning: There are a couple of graphic photos below showing injuries.
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Well Known Kitchen Accidents
Accidents in professional and home kitchens are common. Here is what the occupational data tells us about those accidents, and by extrapolation, where there are serious dangers in our home kitchens.
Top Kitchen Accidents
- The injury rate for restaurant workers in general, often surpasses the injury rate for workers in all other private industry sectors. The top injuries are cuts and lacerations from knives, mandolins, and other blades.
- Following that, is heat and fire burns from splashing oil or food, touching hot pot handles, as well as steam burns from using wet towels to grab a hot pot or waving an arm over steaming water.
- Slips, trips, and falls are common causes of injuries in all workplaces, not just kitchens. These account for >27% of all reported workplace injuries.
- Liquid spillage are common on countertops and floors, which can lead to falls, and if hot can lead to burns.
- Repetitive motion injuries, per various studies, like stirring, whisking, and chopping caused ~20% of kitchen injuries, and ~14% of kitchen staff complained of general body aches. Standing all the time on hard surfaces can cause problems as well.
- Broken tableware and glassware cause plenty of injuries, especially dishwashers.
- Hot pepper injuries to sensitive areas are common, due to hand transfer, but also if you are heating peppers it can get into the air and lungs, and on kitchen equipment.
- Grinder injuries can happen as well, from blenders, food processors, immersion blenders, or coffee grinders. Thank goodness this has never happened to me, but I have seen a person with a very large bandaged hand who had a grinder accident.
- Surprisingly, an actual kitchen on fire is lower on the list of kitchen related accidents. Equipment catches fire, alcohol in dishes can catch fire, fine powdered flour catch fire, and a lack of cleanliness (especially grease) can easily cause fires.
Knives
Cuts and lacerations are most often caused by using the wrong knife or tool, or using dull knives. Using a chef’s knife to peel potatoes will result in an accident. Using dull knives cause accidents too as they require more pressure than normal to make a cut, thereby resulting in less controlled movements, but with greater force. This in turn creates the opportunity to lose control of the blade and cause a jagged and painful cut. Also not taking reasonable safety precautions, such as using the safe food holder when slicing on a mandolin.
- Keep knives sharpened and honed.
- Use the right tool for the job.
- Cut away from your body, especially when trimming or deboning.
- Knives should be comfortable to use and easy to grip, so have your own knife that fits your hand.
- Place knives in one place so the washer knows where they are, aim blades away from the washer’s position, and immediately wash and dry by hand with a clean towel.
- When carrying knives point the blade downwards and toward your back.
- Use safety devices to prevent injury such as safety gloves.
- When cutting, focus on your task and avoid talking and cutting.
Burns
Too often there are too many people in a smallish space, each with dangerous equipment or food. Here are suggestions to remove some common reasons for burns: Turn the saucepan and skillet handle away from the front of the stove, or any burner. Always use oven mitts or pot holders when handling hot pots or pans. Always warn coworkers when carrying hot items across the kitchen (or knives), especially liquids; I was trained to yell out “knife” or “hot” or “oven open” when approaching a location where people’s backs are to me.
- With a pan or pot that has a heat transmitting handle, place something non-flamable over it to notify yourself and others it is hot.
- Partially pull out the rack from a hot oven to safely remove a pot or pan; reaching into a hot oven may cause burns.
- Never use anything wet to touch a hot pot or pan to avoid scalding your self.
Slipping
Kitchens are notorious for having spills, so the floor can often be slippery with wet or oily conditions. A combination of proper flooring, quick cleanups, and good shoes are important. These shoes should be slip and water resistant, as well as comfortable, and sturdy. Luckily I have yet to fall in the kitchen, but certainly I have slipped and grabbed the counter to steady myself.
Keep safe from spills by drying your hands thoroughly, before picking anything up and make sure your grip is secure. Sometimes heat can come through from handles which can cause pots or pans to drop. If overfilled, do not move a container of hot liquids. If spills do occur wipe them up immediately and yell out “spill on counter” or “spill on floor” to make those around you aware. Don’t set containers down close to the edge of countertops or on very uneven surfaces. I am also aware of earthquakes, so I prefer to have hot greasy dishes towards the back on a stovetop.
Repetitive Motion
Repetitive motion injuries are caused by specialty activities, such as only one person makes the mayonnaise, or one does all the veggie prepping. So automating, where feasible, such as making mayo in a blender or with an immersion blender is helpful. Adding cushioned floor mats to avoid back and joint pain, and wearing good shock-absorbing footwear. (Even consider wearing compression socks to prevent fatigue and swelling). But making sure staff are rotated and do a bit of everything to keep their body from being overused in one activity, or even having exercise breaks.
Broken Equipment + Dishes
Broken dishes, cups, and glasses are dangerous for everyone, including the eater. There are several ways to avoid this, such as do not take dishes straight from the oven to the freezer (or vice versa). Do not put anything directly on burners, on flame, or in ovens if not ovenproof. Do not set hot dishes onto damp or chilled surfaces, or pour hot liquids into cold glass (or vice versa). Basically, inspect all cook, table or glassware often, and stop using if there is a crack or chip.
Ingredient Cautions
Peppers have capsaicin oil, as that is what gives peppers their heat. We need to remember this is also the active ingredient in pepper spray. I tend to forget, but consider always wearing disposable gloves when handling peppers. This injury I am well aware of, since I roast Poblanos constantly on my gas stovetop. The capsaicin oil gets everywhere in my kitchen even with the windows open and my air filter running. I have accidentally had the oil in my eyes (very painful), on my lips, and all over my teapot.
But also, remember water is not helpful in removing capsaicin from your hands. Instead, apply a paste of water and baking soda to your hands, let it dry and then wash off.
Grinders
Grinder injuries are caused from putting your hand into a grinder equipment or tool while power is still active. Never put your hand in anything that still has power, unplug first and make sure there is no residual power before touching any equipment. If spice is still in a grinder, use a brush to get it out. If the blender is dirty, blend water and soap to clean it.
Fires
The chance of fires can be reduced by keeping the kitchen clean and orderly, and making sure all equipment is in safe working conditions. Oily and spoiled rags should be in the cleaning basket and not near flames, alcohol is brought out only when needed and not open and hanging around the kitchen work area, fryers and greasy areas are cleaned well daily, baking is done away from open flames as clouds of carbohydrates are flamable (1).
- In case of a pan grease fire: Use a lid to smother the flames in a pan or pot. Fire will quickly burn itself out without oxygen. Never throw water on a grease fire or use a fire extinguisher on a fire in a skillet, for it can cause the flaming oil or grease to spray and spread.
- Put on an oven mitt for protection.
- Slide the lid over the pan.
- Then turn off the burner.
- Check the ventilation system to make sure the flames are not up in there.
- Use your judgement, but consider calling the fire department just in case the flames have spread elsewhere in your kitchen.
- In case of oven fires:
- Immediately turn off the oven and leave the door closed.
- Check behind the stove if you can.
- Once the fire has burned out, open doors and windows for ventilation.
- Use your judgement, but consider calling the fire department just in case.
The Uniform + Your Protection
A Chef’s uniform first of all provides a very practical level of protection, then an aesthetic presentation of cleanliness and professionalism, and finally a way to confer distinction from the other workers by establishing immediate status.
Head Gear
Kitchen staff may wear hair-nets, or a variety of hats, that are intended to show status; but like home cooks the concern is mainly to keep hair out of the food. If you cook with fire, it also can help keep hair from catching in the flames. So all cooks should pull long hair back and then secure it so they do not come loose.
Some professional and upscale restaurants will require the more formal European Chef outfits that includes the toque blanche (“white hat”) as part of their uniform (1).
Sleeves
Often the jackets are fitted with longer sleeves than fashion dictates. This is to protect the arms from burns, in case of accidental contact with hot oven doors, and to allow cuffs to be used as oven mitts. Notice how mine are folded up in the “formal wear” picture above, but they can fold down to cover my wrists.
Towels
Other than when posing for a photo, all the Chefs I know use blue or white kitchen towels, often tucked into the string of their apron. The blue ones are to clean up messes, while the white ones are to use as hot pads, and hand wipes. Once wet however, the towel is tossed into the laundry basket. Wet towels are an accident waiting to happen as they conduct heat, and the wet towel when added to heat creates steam. And steam burns to the hand or arm are very painful.
Aprons
Aprons are there to supply another layer of protection from spills and heat, but also to help keep the uniform clean. Once dirty, it gets tossed into the laundry and a new one is worn. The apron is a critical tool and is the last to be put on.
A Chef’s or cook’s apron needs to protect its user from spills, splashes, oil pops, and fire. It is a heaver weight material that will protect a portion of my torso and legs. If you notice in the “formal wear” picture above, the apron is split so if in a hurry I can quickly pull up half of the apron to use as a towel or hot pad. Technically I am wearing a managing or server apron.
Trousers
Home cooks often work bare legged, but that can be a safety hazard in professional kitchens were lots of people are wandering around completing their own tasks.
The trousers in a formal setting have small checkered pattern, considered effective in disguising the stains that happen all the time while cooking. In the USA the color is black and white, and in Europe it can also be blue and white. These are often lightweight pants and go down all the way to the shoes to keep the legs covered for safety reasons.
Shoes
Slippers in the kitchen are not generally a good idea, and closed toe shoes are preferred. I have dropped knives, hot utensils, and even a heavy pan has slipped from my hands. Having the foot covered and protected is important.
Black shoes are often used in formal settings. The kitchen provides many opportunities for accidents with spills on the floor, splashing hot oil or food, and dangerous utensils or cookware that can be dropped. Therefore shoes should be of high quality, water proof, non-slip, and supportive as kitchen staff stand all day.
Safety Equipment
All types of slicer dicers have safety equipment that often, in the name of ease of use and speed, are not used. Unplug all electronic devices prior to putting your hands near blades. The results of not taking care, ranged from cuts to amputations, so use the safety gear many equipment already comes with.
Use safety gloves when using dangerously sharp tools. I have one glove for my left hand, as I am a right-handed person, and hold the knife in my right hand. With one exception, all the cuts I have received have been on my left hand, and when not wearing the glove. Just remember to wash them with soap and hot water after use.
Use safety goggles with some cooking techniques, like when using your gas stovetop to fire roast peppers. Wear a mask when using very fine powders in a small, unventilated room.
Have the appropriate fire extinguisher at hand, and know how to use it. We even have one in the RV as you enter the house portion, and in our home kitchen that is easy to grab under the kitchen sink.
Salutations
To be absolutely clear, I did not have the accidents shown above just for this post. These are pictures from over the last several years, of accidents that have actually occurred to me, and are just part of cooking. Every cook has scars, and it is rare to not have any as we work around very sharp and hot objects all the time. My hands and forearms take the brunt of these accidents and are where I carry most of the scars. Most often, I admit, the accidents occur when my mind wanders off from what I am doing or when I am moving too fast.
So my suggestions are, to myself, to slow down the cooking process, and keep my mind on the tasks at hand. Also it helps not to have others in the kitchen, like dogs, cats, and little children. For kitchens are often the warmest and most loving part of a home, but also one of the most dangerous.
—Patty
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