[Sca-cooks] Safety in the Kitchen

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> I have a few questions which I hope the answers you provide will allow me
to
> address things I have not thought of.
>
> 1.  What do you do to protect yourself in the kitchen from injuries?

Good sense, and alertness- never enter a kitchen without it ;-)

More seriously, there are two theories of safety in any enterprise. The
first is to wear every bit of protective gearyou can acquire, that is
appropriate for the situation, the second is to dress as lightly as
possible, and learn to move fast.

While I understand why people wear protective gear, they often don't wear it
correctly, and in conjunction with other materials that actually makes it
safe, instead of an additional hazard.

For example, Adamantius is an excellent example of wearing appropriate
protective gear. He wears natural fibers, a versatile and protective cote,
which can be removed hurriedly, long pants, covering comfortable and skid
resistant shoes. I could wish he wore eye protection, but since he doesn't
wear glasses, he doesn't.

OTOH, I have seen people if kitchens wearing synthetic fibers (NEVER a good
idea around fire), shoes but no covering above, to prevent stuff falling in
their shoes, long sleeves that can (and do!!!) get into everything, along
with long hair that does the same thing, etc.

My preference is for the other alternative- minimal covering, and alertness
and the ability to move fast. My usual kitchen/smithing clothing consists of
natural fiber fabric tunics and trews, with sleeves rolled or pulled above
my elbows, trews held above my calves and no shoes, or else trews down long
enough to cover my shoes, if they aren't sandals.

No, I know people are going to complain about bare feet- some have started
already, so listen to my reasoning, and make your own choices.

I prefer wearing bare feet for the simple reason that I have better contact
with the floor. My biggest difficulty and ongoing problem is sprains and
strains of the joints, caused by slippage on wet/greasy/oily floors. While
I'm more likely to get an odd splash of something on my bare skin, it isn't
trapped against my skin, burning for the seconds it takes to do serious
damage- it's there for a split second, and by that time, I'm on my way to
cold water. I'll take the minor burns, and avoid the major ones,
thankyouverymuch. And, a minor burn or cut will disable me for a day or two.
A sprain will disable me for weeks.

As far as the lady who was barefoot, under a long dress, the long dress
caused the problem, not necessaily the bare feet- if she could have seen
where she was stepping, she likely wouldn't have stepped on the hot coal.

And, that's another reason I prefer bare feet- I'm much more watchful and
alert. I use the same principle when I'm working on the forge, too. I refuse
to allow my students to wear gloves, except under special circumstances,
because the protective gear makes people feel "safe" and they get casual
with the materials (which are lots hotter than most of what you find in the
kitchen) and instead of getting a minor "educational" burn, that teaches
them quickly not to DO that, that way, when they do get burned (and it's
going to happen- it's not an option) they tend to get burned much more
severely.

Personally, I'd much rather my students go home with the odd blister, than
have to make a trip to the ER.

> 2.  Do you bring your own first-aid kit?  If so what do you consider
> essential?

Well, I'm a Chirurgeon. I never go to an event without my full jump kit, and
I usually have one of the little kits available for booboos- if they need
more than that, they need to see me.

> 3.  Do you have any personal "problems" and what steps to you take to look
> after yourself - proir, during and after the event?

Well, I have joint problems- neck, back, knees, ankles, and when you have
these problems, you need to use strategies to avoid reinjuring the areas. My
first thing is that I can do anything, but I need to do it in moderation,
whether sitting, standing, walking, running, or lifting. I'm very careful to
change body positions frequently, and when I get tired, I start limitting my
activities. In the AM, I might cheerfully haul the trash, or carry or move
heavy and bulky items, or do something which requires bending down, but
later in the day, I'll get someone to do it for me. It took me a couple
years to get entirely away from pain meds, and I'm not going back- it ain't
worth it. I've learned to listen to my body, and when it says certain
things, I pay attention.

As far as eating and drinking, if I'm cooking, I lose my appetite. I taste
things as I go along, but if I'm helping with a feast, I'm just not that
interested in food. I just make sure I keep myself hydrated, and worry about
getting actual food into my system the next day- which usually requires
eating well and getting plenty of rest the day before.


Saint Phlip,
CoDoLDS

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....