Prevent kitchen cuts and burns
Keep knives sharp, cut on a steady board, and handle heat with dry mitts and turned-in handles.
- How often
- As needed
- Recommended for
- 4 factors
How to do it
- Keep knives sharp. A dull blade slips and needs more force.
- Put a damp towel under your cutting board, curl your fingertips under on the guiding hand, and cut away from your body.
- Turn pan handles in from the edge of the stove and use dry oven mitts. Wet cloth passes heat straight through.
- Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently.
- For a minor burn, cool it under cool running water for 20 minutes. Don't use ice or butter.
Why it helps
Knife cuts and burns are the most common kitchen injuries, and most come from slips, rushed work or hot surfaces handled with the wrong tool. Cooling a burn quickly limits how deep the damage goes.
Be careful
Get medical care for a cut that won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of firm pressure, or a burn that is larger than your palm, blistered on the face, hands or joints, or looks white or charred. For a grease fire, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the heat. Never use water. If it spreads, get out and call 911.
Recommended for
Barista
Tamping, pouring and steaming, hundreds of drinks a shift.
hobbyCooking and baking
Sharp knives, hot surfaces and hours on your feet in the kitchen.
occupationLine cook
Heat, knives, hot oil and a ticket rail that never empties.
occupationRestaurant server
Miles on your feet, heavy trays and a dining room to keep happy.