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Your kitchen is a hub for family life, but it's also a place
with risks. Although you can't foresee every hazard, you can
make the room safer with five simple steps: 1. Pay attention to
food on the stove. Cooking is the top cause of home fires and
home fire injuries. If you must leave the kitchen while food is
cooking, carry a wooden spoon or oven mitt as a reminder that
something is on the stove. Keep a fire extinguisher in the
kitchen for emergencies. 2. Don't use cook tops as work
surfaces. Placing anything flammable on a hot burner could start
a fire. Don't use your microwave oven as storage space, either.
This is especially true for paper bags, which could catch fire
if you accidentally start the oven. 3. Be careful with knives.
Knives are useful tools, but they should always be treated with
care. Cut food away from your body, on a nonslip surface,
advises the CDC. Keep knife blades sharp and clean. Store knives
in knife holders, not loose