Stove safety tips prevent injuries to children

  • Published
  • By Regina Coffey
  • Air Force Flight Test Center Ground Safety
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A hot stove is dangerous, especially to small children. Understanding the danger is an essential life tool all children should learn.

The following safety tips can be used to prevent injuries to your children and to yourself:
  • Never leave children unattended near an operating stove.
  • Ensure the stove is cool before allowing children near it.
  • Be very careful not to touch the stove with any part of the body. The heat generated from the burners and the oven will make the exterior surface hot.
  • Always have the appropriate fire extinguisher available and know how to use it.
  • Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothes that can touch a hot burner.
  • Ensure pot handles do not extend over the floor. Turn them to the side, but make sure their handles do not extend over adjacent burners.
  • Always use cooking mitts when handling hot items.
Remember, the temperature of the glass panel in the oven door can increase within a few minutes of ignition. The stove remains hot long after it is turned off. Touching the glass will lead to significant burns.