The kitchen is the busiest room in the home. From food preparation to dining to balancing the checkbook, the kitchen is the center of activity for today's family.

But the kitchen can also be the most dangerous room in the house. The National Kitchen & Bath Association has developed a few simple guidelines to keep you kitchen safe.

Use proper lighting. Good general lighting, supplemented with proper task lighting that's clearly focused on a work surface, can greatly decrease your chance of injury while preparing a meal. The lighting should not produce any glare or shadows on the surface.
Use slip-resistant flooring. Falling with a hot casserole or a sharp knife in your hand can have serious consequences. A slip-resistant material on your floor, such as matte-finished wood or laminate, textured vinyl or a soft-glazed ceramic tile, provides added safety. If you select tile, try using a throw-rug with a non-skid backing for added precautions, especially around areas that get wet.
Keep a fire extinguisher handy. NKBA recommends that a fire extinguisher be visibly located near a room exit, away from cooking equipment. Never store an extinguisher near or under a cooktop or range. If a fire is to occur, those areas will likely be the cause and make an extinguisher stored in that area unreachable.
Keep electrical switches, plugs and lighting fixtures away from water sources and wet hands. Building codes require that every electrical receptacle be grounded and protected with ground-fault circuit interrupters, which shut off the room's electric current if there is a power surge or moisture is present. In addition, NKBA recommends all wall-mounted room controls be 15 inches to 48 inches above the finished floor.
Regulate water temperatures and devices. Install faucets with anti-scald devices that prevent water temperature from rising to dangerous levels, or buy pressure-balanced valves that equalize hot and cold water. Faucets also are available that can be pre-programmed to your desired temperature setting.
Find a safe cooktop. Avoid being scalded by steam from a boiling pot by opting for staggered burners or one straight row of burners on your cooktop. And never choose a unit with controls along the back of the appliance; controls should be along the side or in the front.
Use the space safely. Think about how traffic will flow through the kitchen and make sure no one will interfere with your space when cooking. Locate microwaves conveniently above the floor to avoid reaching to retrieve food. Slide-out trays and bins in base cabinets make storage items more accessible to eliminate bending. Avoid putting a range near an entrance or exit. And lastly, avoid sharp corners on the ends of countertops, especially islands and peninsulas, by having them rounded.

If you have young children in your home, even more precaution may be needed. Here are some tips to create a kid-friendly kitchen:

Put all cleaning products and poisonous substances out of reach in a high cabinet or closet. If products must be in a cabinet accessible to children, install child safety locks on the doors.
Move all electrical cords to the back of the countertops and tape them to the bottom of the counters, out of reach.
Remove all tablecloths from the table so children cannot pull and drag heavy or hot items on themselves.
If you have a table with glass or sharp corners, attach corner guards.
Eliminate loose rugs in your kitchen by placing no-slip pads underneath them.
Place kid-size plastic dishes, snacks, and napkins together in a lower cabinet so children can reach them. Having this self-service cabinet will make the children feel grown up and will allow you to have more cooking time without being interrupted.
Encourage children to help participate in kitchen cleanup by purchasing kid-sized toy brooms and dustpans. Also purchase a junior set of utensils so children can feel they are helping during food preparation.
Hang a chalkboard or dry erase board at a good height for children on the side of either your kitchen island or wall. Children will be able to draw pictures and remain entertained while you are busy preparing meals.

Courtesy of ARA Content