Thanksgiving would not be the same without friends, family and a large meal!

Here are some tips to keep everyone safe during this special day. (please be sure to share our monthly safety email with your staff and contractors)

Stay in the kitchen – Remain in the kitchen while cooking, and keep a close eye out for food that is frying, grilling or broiling. Also, it’s a good idea to limit the number of people hanging out in the kitchen to limit distractions!

Keep fabrics away from the cooking area – Keep things that can easily catch on fire (wooden utensils, packaging, oven mitts, towels) away from the cooking area. It’s also a good thing to pay attention to what you are wearing.

Don’t mix drinking and cooking – Be alert when cooking, and don’t use the stovetop if you’ve been drinking or are sleepy.

Know how to put out small fires – For a small grease cooking fire, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave it like this until it’s completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. Also, be sure to keep a small fire extinguisher nearby.
Any other kind of fire, GET OUT and all 9-1-1.

Leave the turkey frying to experts – The NFPA discourages the use of turkey fryers, which can lead to devastating burns and other injuries. This can also lead to property destruction because of the large amount and high temps of the oil used.

Test your smoke alarms before and keep them connected – Make sure they are installed and working!

Never thaw a turkey at room temperature – This promotes the growth of dangerous bacteria. The safest way to thaw a turkey is to thaw it in the refrigerator. You should do this with the turkey still in its’ own unopened wrapper breast facing up and placed on a tray. The accepted rule of thumb for time is 1 day refrigerator thawing for every four pounds of turkey.

Be careful with candles – Candles are often part of holiday decorations. Candles should be located where children will not be tempted to play with them, and where guests will not accidentally brush against them.

When it’s time to cut the turkey, be sure to utilize a sharp knife – Sharp knives cut easier than dull ones and you’re less likely to cut yourself accidently.

Watch those leftovers – With a large family gathering and a larger than usual meal, leftovers are on the table a little bit longer than usual. In general, if it has been left out over two hours you should not keep it. It should just be thrown out.

Have a safe Thanksgiving!