Recently a young man died when the pressure cooker exploded in the kitchen. Goes to show that the kitchen can be a hazardous zone if you are distracted. One should be careful while handling pressure cookers and sharp objects like knives in the kitchen.
The pressure cooker makes cooking and life easier. Having said that if you aren’t careful the same cooker can cause a lot of danger. Here are some tips to keep you safe in kitchen:
While using a pressure cooker
• Make sure to check your pressure cooker before cooking. Before tightening the lid, make sure the vent tube is clear. Replace the safety valve if it is defective. It is always safe to replace your safety valve at regular intervals. Also, buy a safety valve from the same company you brought your cooker from.
• Equally important is to take note of the quantity of water and food in the cooker.
• Don’t stuff the cooker.
• Clean the washer and weight thoroughly after each use.
• Wait till all the pressure drops before opening the cooker.
• Always buy branded quality ISI-certified cookers.
Things to note while using gas stoves
Another equipment to be handled with care in the kitchen is your cooking cylinder. The first thing you should do when you get a cylinder is to break the seal and make sure it has no leak.
• Switch off the regulator after cooking.
• Do check the expiry date of the cylinder tube and replace it at least once a year.
• It is better to keep the stove on top and the cylinder under it.
• Before lighting the gas stove, check for leaks. Open the cylinder valve first. Use a gas lighter instead of a match stick.
• If you suspect a gas leak, keep the doors open and wait for some time. • Remove matchsticks or any kind of explosives near it.
• Never reach for the switch at the time of a fire outbreak. You can control the fire if you throw a wet sack over the cylinder. Immediately inform the fire station.
• When the gas stove is on, never switch on the kitchen fan.
Look out for dangers in the kitchen
• Make sure to use sharp objects like knives carefully
• If you have kept milk boiling, make sure you are around and not wait till milk spills over.
• Don’t keep kerosene, cloth and firewood near the stoves.
• Make sure there are no electric wires near the heated appliances.
• Keep the floor dry so that you don't slip on the floor and result in danger.
• Wear cotton clothes in the kitchen.
• Don’t try to hold hot kadais or vessels with your sari pleats or dupatta. It can catch fire.
