Kitchen Safety
Many items in the kitchen present a hazard to your child. Cleaning solutions, Knives, glass objects should all be kept out of the reach of your child. Either move these items out of reach or secure the cabinets with childproof latches. Hot foods and ovens can prevent serious burn risks for your child. Following are some suggestions to consider when making your kitchen safer:

Knob Covers - there are knob covers available that will prevent your child from turning on the stove. This is especially important if you have a gas powered appliance. You should also use knob covers if you have an electric range.

Stove Shield - This makes it more difficult for a child to put his or her hands on top of the stove or to pull a pot off the stove and onto themselves.

Use the Back Burners - Make an effort to only use the back burners on your cook top and always point handles towards the rear so that children cannot pull hot pots or other items down on themselves

Move Hazardous Items Out of Reach - Identify dangerous items and move them up and out of your child's reach. These include knives, chopping blades, glass items, cleaning fluids, dishwashing detergents, medicines, vitamins and many other items not listed here.

Keep Your Kitchen Free of Clutter - Keep your kitchen as free of clutter as possible. You don't want to trip when carrying hot foods or liquids

Encourage your Child to Play Outside of the Primary Kitchen Traffic Path - - When you are cooking, encourage your child to play away from the traffic pattern you use when you prepare meals. (Kitchen designers define this as the triangle between your stove, refrigerator & sink. This will make it less likely that you will trip over your child when moving about the kitchen.

Oven Locks - An oven lock will make it less likely that your child will be able to open the oven. Opening the oven can result in burns and / or pinched fingers.

Food Handling and Preparation - Food borne illness is a very real concern. Safe handling, preparation and storage of food can help protect your child's health. Many food borne illness that are inconveniences for an adult can be serious or life threatening illnesses for a baby or young child. There is a lot to be said on this subject and we certainly can't cover it here. Spend some time reading up on the subject - because of the way much of our food is produced in this country, food borne illnesses are becoming more common.

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Disclaimer: Note, these lists are provided to start you thinking about safety. We guarantee that these lists ARE NOT COMPLETE! You will have to evaluate your own home. No list can anticipate every circumstance. The personal health of yourself , your spouse, children or other factors may dictate that you take precautions not listed here, or that you ignore suggestions made here. Ultimately, you are responsible for your child's safety. When you are unsure or have questions always consult an appropriate professional. We have made every effort to check the accuracy of our information, but we do not guarantee it to be accurate or complete. Use your own judgments and always seek the advice of a physician when appropriate. These lists are intended only to help you identify potential problems. Read our TERMS OF SERVICE for additional information about the conditions and terms under which this list is supplied.