knife accidents in kitchenYou may think this story out of Malaysia sounds suspicious, and I admit I did too. Cynthia Tan Kian Hoon, a chef at work on breakfast, apparently slipped with a six-inch knife and stabbed herself in the ribs, killing herself rather quickly. Her son and another worker in the restaurant reportedly ran to her when they heard the screams, and she collapsed and lost consciousness. Apparently the chef had hit a major artery and bled out quickly in front of her son and co-worker.

Those witnesses, and the fact that my husband cuts himself accidentally almost every time he's in the kitchen, make me truly believe this was a freak accident rather than a shoddily covered up murder.

Which makes me think we all could use a lesson in knife safety around here, yes?

1) Always Cut Away From Your Body, Never Towards

I know this is an easy one to forget, especially when you're in a hurry in the kitchen. But this is the main way we can hurt ourselves.

2) If You Drop a Knife, Get Out of the Way

Never try to catch the knife on its way down, and also move your feet. This is a lesson I've learned after my husband sliced his toe open. Yep, his toe.

3) Keep Your Knives Sharp

It may seem counterintuitive, but you use a lot less effort if you have a sharp knife. Less effort means less force behind a blade coming straight at you if you slip and/or forget rule #1.

4) Use the Right Knife

Never grab a bread knife when cutting meat, and vice versa. Although a "meat knife" isn't actually a thing. Using the right knife for the job means an easier time of slicing and, again, having to use less force.

Have you ever had a bad accident in the kitchen?

 

Image via Walt Stoneburner/Flickr