Knife Safety

 Correct knife selection. 

When using knives in hospitality you must be sure you grab the correct knife for what you intend to cut.

A paring knife is an all-purpose knife used commonly for paring or peeling as it is small and has a plain edge.

A cook/chef knife is a multi-purpose knife used for most kitchen tasks such as slicing meat, vegetables, and disjointing large cuts.

A bread knife is used for cutting bread. It is ideal because it has serrated blades to avoid crushing the bread as it cuts.

 

Preparation of area correctly.

The table has been sprayed with a multi-purpose spray and wipe and is being wiped down with a clean cloth to remove as much bacteria as possible before placing any knives or board on the surface.

We are placing a wet cloth flat underneath the board before putting the board down to increase the amount of grip the board has on the table.

The board we put down is clean as well as the knives we will be using.

Knife Maintainance. 

The steel rod must be held at a 45 degree angle to correctly sharpen the blade and you must the the knife along it from heel to tip. The knife is sharpened by the rod due to the indents in it. 

Knife Storage.

Knives must be stored somewhere which avoids them being damaged or made blunt. This must also be somewhere where people are not going to injure themselves or others.

This is how the knives are stored in the Hornby High School cooking classes. The knives are magnetised in the cupboard to avoid them falling at any point are there is a door on this cupboard to avoid young children getting into it. The cupboard it situated at the back of the classroom so it is out of peoples way and is less likely to injure anyone as they grab knives. 

Walking around with a knife in hand.

When walking around with a knife in hand you should have the tip of the blade facing directly to the floor, your hand gripping firmly around the handle. This is done to avoid injury of yourself and others while you re holding the knife.

An example of this technique is...