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Kitchen safety for the holidays

Posted at 2:28 PM, Nov 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-21 16:28:59-05

The holiday season is actually a time when a lot of accidents happen in the kitchen, a place where family gathers.

Personal Injury Attorney Craig Swapp joined us with some things we all need to be cautious about when it comes to kitchen safety.

He says slip-and-fall injuries are a big concern,  especially for older adults.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30 million older adults fall each year, resulting in about 30,000 deaths.  With grandma and grandpa over, helping in the kitchen on Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's essential to eliminate slip-and-fall hazards.   Swapp suggests removing rugs from the cooking area, cleaning up food spills immediately and always avoid standing on chairs or tables to reach ingredients high up on shelves.

The burned turkey is a common joke, but burns can cause injuries during the holiday season, especially for children.  Swapp says for younger children, hot liquids and steam are the most common culprits, both of which usually happen in the kitchen.  He recommends to turn pan handles away from the edge of the range.  Adults should keep loose sleeves and other clothing away from burners and always remember to use hot pads and pan holders when handling hot food.

Swapp says it's become popular to deep fry whole turkeys, and while this is a tasty method when done right, oil burns are some of the worst injuries that medical responders see during the holidays.  Extra caution should be taken around deep fryers and cooking oil.

Swapp also reminds us about the risk of food poisoning.  He says one of the most important things to use is a food thermometer to make sure food is at a temperature hot enough to kill germs.  Look up the correct temperature before you start cooking and make sure the food's reached that temperature before eating.  Also, wash your hands, and do not wash raw meat, poultry or eggs since that spread the potential for illnesses.

The bottom line, put safety and cleanliness first.  Swapp says, "If your home is safe and clean, and you've taken the necessary food safety precautions, you`ll minimize the risk of injury or illness for you and your loved ones during the holidays."

If you do need a personal injury attorney, call Swapp at (800) 404-9000 or visit: craigswapp.com.