Five Safety Tips

1. Avoid accidents by reducing clutter in the workspace. 

Accidents are more likely to happen when in an unclean and cluttered space. Glasses can break, knives could drop, and there could tripping hazards. To avoid these, make sure the cooking unit is as clean as possible as well as your table.

2. Wipe up all spills immediately. Make sure the floor is thoroughly cleaned before you leave. 

Spills on the floor are a big hazard as you or others could easy slip and fall. Falling in the foods room is not the best as you will be near hot surfaces, knives, and hard counters, making an injury easy. After cleaning up the spill double check that it is thoroughly cleaned and you’re not leaving a small spill for another to hurt themselves with.

3. Turn pot handles inward or out of the line of traffic to avoid tipping.

This is so you or others don’t accidentally run into the handle and disturb the hot pot or pan. Running into the handle could tip the pot or pan and severely burn someone with itself or its contents. This could also create a mess in the unit that would take time to clean up.

4. Never leave knives and sharp instruments in soapy dishwater.

Leaving any type of sharp instrument in the soapy dishwater is a huge hazard as you will not be able to properly see the blade. This is also a hazard for others if they can’t see the blade and don’t know that it’s in there. They could simply reach a hand in and easily cut themselves. Instead, place it to the side of the sink and wash it directly.

5. Always hand sanitize your hands thoroughly before coming into class and after you have eaten

Foods is a place of preparing food meaning COVID transmission is a high-risk factor if the proper rules are not followed. Hand sanitizing before you come into class helps eliminate any class to class germ transmissions (say from math class to foods). If you ever eat the food prepared in class possible spit transmission from you mouth to hands is applicable. After eating it would be best to wash your hands but if not possible, hand sanitize.