Kitchen-related injuries happen everyday, but during the holiday season, these injuries actually increase. While we’re all scrambling to finish that four course holiday meal or throw together a gourmet Christmas breakfast for that special someone, many of us are bound to get hurt.
Stannah analyzed data from NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) from last year to find out more about hazardous home accidents that send people to the ER during the holiday season. We’ll run you through the results below so you can take extra precautions.
Most accidents happen in the kitchen
The kitchen is the room where most of the holiday accidents occur. Considering the numerous ways you could burn, cut, and injure yourself while cooking, prepping, or cleaning, this makes a lot of sense.
The survey found 46.2% of the holiday accidents sending people to the ER were caused by kitchen knives, while 11.6% of the injuries were caused by tableware and other dining accessories. Burns and cuts were some of the most common injuries, but not all of these accidents led to an ER visit.
Fingers were the most commonly injured body parts (37.8% of those injured went in for a cut or hurt finger), while hands trailed behind at 16.2%. Feet were the third most injured body part, as it’s easy to drop hot cookware, knives, and other accessories while cooking or serving.
Who are holiday accidents happening to?
You might think those doing most of the prep work and cooking are more likely to be injured, but that isn’t always the case. People coming into the kitchen to quickly help, set the table, or grab food for kids are also prone to injuries.
Women were slightly more likely to be injured than men overall, although men account for 69.6% of all alcohol-related accidents. When it comes to kitchen-specific accidents, men between 18 and 34 were the most frequently injured age and gender group.
Other holiday injuries to be aware of
Getting cut and burned in the kitchen aren’t the only potential injuries to look out for. This survey found that falls and injuries down a flight of stairs also increase during December, so be careful when bringing those heavy boxes of Christmas decorations up from the basement.
In fact, Christmas decorations were the number one holiday product associated with injuries, accounting for 41.5% of holiday item related ER visits. Chimneys and fireplaces came in second, followed by electric Christmas decorations. Artificial Christmas trees seem to cause the most damage, leading to internal injuries, lacerations, or sprains and strains.
Be careful this holiday season!
Now that you know that injuries are more common during the holiday season, take proper precautions to keep your family safe. Be careful when cutting holiday food and put knives in safe places when not in use. Take extra precaution when lifting hot food and ensure there’s nothing you can trip over while serving your family. Don’t strain when decorating either — ask for help and always be cautious on stairs.
Happy holidays!
