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Knives

The improper handling of knives is one of the main causes of kitchen-related accidents around the world. These accidents can range from being superficial in nature to being fatal. In order to avoid injury, follow these safety tips.

• Always cut with the blade of the knives angled away from you. Do not do anything risky with a knife. Trying to do things like opening a can or a bottle with a knife is never a good idea. Also, scissors – not knives – should be used to cut paper or string.

• Use a cutting board and keep it in place. These can be kept in place by buying a cutting board that has grips on the bottom of it, or a person can put a damp paper towel underneath it to help it “stick” in place. Do not use knives to cut things as they are in your hand.

• Use the right knives for the right jobs. Paring knives should be used for paring, a chef’s knife should be used for mincing or chopping and a butcher’s knife should be used for butchering. Using the wrong knife for a job could cause a lot of damage.

• When washing your knives, do so immediately after using them by hand. Do not place knives in sudsy water where they may not be seen by somebody placing their hand in the sink. There are many injuries that occur simply because people have no idea they are about to touch a sharp knife. If you put a knife in the dishwasher, make sure the blade is down.

• Store knives in a knife block or a knife rack – away from other utensils. Doing this will help keep little hands away from accidentally grabbing one as they scour the utensils drawer.