We recently took a look at the ways that parents can protect their children from an injury associated with pumpkin carving, but it’s not just kids who face risks during the activity. Even an adult could end up taking a trip to the emergency room if they’re not careful, and to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, you might think about exercising the tips provided by an organization called Pumpkin Masters in a new report.
First, you should get set up in a manner that is conducive to safety. There should be plenty of space around you as you carve, especially if there’s going to be multiple people carving at once on their own pumpkins. Anyone not carving should keep a safe distance so that an errant swipe doesn’t prove injurious. And rather than simply using a kitchen knife for the activity, purchase some kind of carving kit with tools that have been expressly designed for that purpose.
At all times, the blade needs to face away from you. Get in the habit of pushing out rather than pulling the knife in toward your body, as it could suddenly come dislodged and travel dangerously close to you otherwise. Keep the fingers of your opposing hand out of the path of the knife, and rather than repeatedly stabbing at the pumpkin, cut as if you’re sawing through a log. Further protect your hand by holding it atop rather than on the side of the pumpkin.