[Histonet] micowave QA??

[Victoria Baker]

Kathy,

I've had this come up both in clinical and in
research.  The question is whether or not the
microwave could be leaking radioactive waves while in
use.  With use and age the seals around the microwave
start to deteriorate, so you could be getting "nuked"
while doing your procedures.  There is an instrument
that will register any emissions around the seal of
the microwave while in use.  If your bio-eng people
say they aren't responsible, then take it up with your
Safety officer or your manager.  If it is a compliance
issue that involves the safety of the workers in the
lab, your Safety department will have to deal with it
and come up with the money to purchase the needed
instrument.  I have my microwave checked once a year
for leakage by our Safety department, just for my
piece of mind.  Histologists work with enough nasty
chemicals, reduce your risks where ever you can.

As to the "working ability" of the microwave itself,
you could do a test run with water and blank slides
using your current SOP for retrieval. Monitor how
quickly it comes to boil and the simmer cycles.  Check
the temperature of the water according to the SOP and
record it.  You could do it once every 3 months or
every six months depending on how often you use it.  

If you are using the microwave for special stains I
would think you'd see variables in the staining.  It
has been a bit since I've done nuked specials, so I'm
not up to speed on that.  


Good luck.

Vikki Baker
Institute for Cancer Prevention
Valhalla, New York  10595
 



--- KMB1904 <@t> aol.com wrote:
> Does anyone have a way of checking the working
> ability of their microwave??  
> We just had JACHO...and the woman said we should be
> checking it for 
> temperature consistency..and actually she thought
> checking it to see if it is losing 
> microwave waves........Our biomed guys tell us that
> they are not responsible for 
> microwaves..and  I dont know where to start on this
> one....Any help is 
> appreciated !!  Thank you in advance!!
>  Kathy Bowden HT
> Nanticoke Memorial Hospital
> Seaford, De 19973
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