At Jim’s Test & Tag, we are passionate about all aspects of safety. To help you make sure your home or office is as safe as possible, we’ve put together a handy guide to microwave safety. Check out our microwave safety tips and let us know if you have any questions about our microwave testing services.
1. Use microwave safe containers
If you use a dish that isn’t microwave safe to heat your food, the dish can melt, crack, or catch on fire. Toxic chemicals can be released and absorbed into your food and your microwave may be damaged. Aside from these dangerous side effects, your food won’t heat as effectively or consistently when you use a non-microwave safe container.
Most ceramic or glass containers are microwave safe. To check if your dish/container is safe to heat, look for a manufacturers label. The label should tell you whether you can heat it or not. If your dish doesn’t have a label, you can follow these steps on how to test the microwave safety of dishes.
2. Food Safety
One of the most important microwave safety tips is food safety. When defrosting food, you need to make sure you follow the correct steps to avoid food poisoning. If you’re thawing food, make sure you use the defrost button. Make sure you remove the packaging before heating (if the package comes with heating instructions, check to see if the container is microwave safe).
If you have defrosted meat, fish, poultry, or eggs, make sure that you cook it right away. If you let it sit for too long, harmful bacteria can multiply and cause food poisoning. After you’ve defrosted raw meats, check the microwave and make sure there isn’t any residue. Clean up any remnants of the defrosted food and make sure the containers/packing are cleaned or disposed of.
3. Follow the instructions
Microwave safety tips are easy to find if you have the user manual for your device. The manual will have specific instructions about which settings to use for particular activities as well as safety advice. Most user manuals will advise you not to operate a microwave oven when it is empty or heats metal or foils in the device. If your microwave appears to operate whilst the door is open, you need to stop using it straight away as you could be exposed to microwave oven radiation.
It should be noted that if your microwave is not used for food preparation (for example, a laboratory) it should not be used for dual purposes. If your microwave is used to heat food, it shouldn’t be used for any other activities. This will help minimise the chances of cross-contamination.
4. Use caution
It might seem obvious, but some of the best microwave safety tips are common sense. Be careful when you take food out of the microwave. If the container is hot, use a tea towel or oven mitt to protect your hands. Don’t put any flammable liquids or combustible liquids inside your microwave, and don’t tamper with the electrical components in your device. If you suspect there’s a problem, contact a professional.
After you’ve heated your food, leave it to stand for a while before you eat it. You can use a thermometer top check meat and make sure it has reached a safe temperature for consumption.
5. Microwave Leakage Testing
If a microwave is damaged, harmful radiation can leak from the door. This happens when the seal isn’t working as well as it should, or if the microwave is somehow still operating with the door open. A fault isn’t always obvious, so regular inspection will help to identify an issue.
At Jim’s Test & Tag, we offer microwave inspection services to businesses across Australia. If you have cooking equipment in your working environment, you are required to provide a safe environment for employees. To avoid legal penalties in the future, secure your workplace now with our testing services.
After we’ve completed the tests, we’ll provide you with a report and a recommended re-test date. We genuinely care about safety – contact us now if you have any questions about our services.
