[Histonet] New Microwave Cap Regulation

Fri Feb 23 10:46:13 CST 2007

Here's a "vendor" reply:

First of all, CAP's annual leakage measurement requirement was deleted 
12.12.06.

Second, should you still desire to check for leakage (always a good 
idea), a local appliance repair shop should be able to do it, but they 
may not wish to from a liability standpoint.

There are also many sources for leakage measurement devices you can use 
yourself. The cheapest are prone to false positives; avoid "passive" 
type devices (don't require a battery) and "idiot-light" type. Expensive 
devices that "sum" and have built-in measurement spacers are available, 
but we feel are "overkill" for this application. Apologies for the 
following "shameless commerce," but EBS offers a "good enough" active 
(battery powered) handheld unit that provides a digital readout (model 
H2501) for $53, with  instructions included that are tailored to a 
pathology lab context.

Best regards,

Phil McArdle

-- 
Microwave Product Manager

Energy Beam Sciences, Inc.
29-B Kripes Rd.
East Granby, CT 06026

Tel:  800.992.9037 x 341
Fax: 860.653.0422

pmcardle <@t> ebsciences.com
www.ebsciences.com

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- Mahatma Gandhi

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Stacey Burton wrote:
> Thank you Hector.
> This brings me to a new question - How do I test for leakage is less than 5mW/cm2 at a distance of 5 cm from the surface?  Or what type of service to I call to help me with that?
> -Stacey
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Hector Hernandez <hhernandez <@t> pathreflab.com>
> To: Rene J Buesa <rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com>; "Luck, Greg D." <LuckG <@t> empirehealth.org>; Stacey Burton <staceylburton <@t> yahoo.com>; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 4:19:54 PM
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] New Microwave Cap Regulation
>
>
> ANP.29430   Phase 1
> This question doesn't state laboratory or home grade microwaves.  Microwave
> should be placed in an appropriate ventilated hood to contain airborne
> chemical contaminates and potential infectious agents. Microwaves used
> outside a fume hood should have an integral fume extractor that is certified
> by the manufacturer for use in a clinical laboratory.  This doesn't say
> microwave has to be laboratory grade, only the fume extractor. This
> checklist question doesn't apply if only non-hazardous reagents are used in
> the device (microwave) (e.g. water, certain biological stains)  
>
> In my opinion you can use any microwave (laboratory or house microwave) as
> long as you can document:
> 1. Leakage is less than 5mW/cm2 at a distance of 5 cm from the surface.
> 2. Periodically monitor for temperature reproducibility.
> 3. All containers used in the microwave are made from microwave-transparent
> material/ microwave proof.
> Don't make it any harder than it is.
>
> Hope this clears a few things,
>
> Hector
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Rene J Buesa
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 2:19 PM
> To: Luck, Greg D.; Stacey Burton; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] New Microwave Cap Regulation
>
> Greg:
>   The new CAP regulation stems from the fact that many labs used the "house
> microwaves ovens"(HMWO) also to fix and process tissues. That is where CAP,
> manufacturers and a MW task force intervened with the valid warning that
> fixing and processing, and even staining when the solutions are alcoholic,
> are unsafe procedures to be done in a regular
>   HMWO,and that those procedures really require an instrument with a venting
> capability that will take the noxious vapors out of the lab.
>   To just heat water or buffers for HIER I did that for many years and no
> inspector ever said anything. Perhaps they have become more demanding
> recently on this regulation, but for me there is nothing noxious to vent
> when only water, PBS or buffers are heated. In your house you also heat
> water and there is nothing noxious about it (and we are talking about the
> "sacred" home environment).
>   Just my opinion though!
>   René J.
>
> "Luck, Greg D." <LuckG <@t> empirehealth.org> wrote:
>   Hello all,
> Would venting or use of a "Laboratory Grade" microwave be required if
> all that it is used for is to heat water or PBS or Tris buffers?
> Thanks, Greg
> Greg Luck, B.S., HT(ASCP)
> Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
> Deaconess Med Cntr
> 800 W. 5th Ave
> Spokane, WA 99204
> Offc 509.473.7077
> Fax 509.473.7133
> luckg <@t> empirehealth.org 
> www.deaconessmc.org
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Stacey
> Burton
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 8:22 AM
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: [Histonet] New Microwave Cap Regulation
>
> I am curious to know how labs have responding to the CAP Question
> ANT.29430 which asks "Are microwave devices properly vented?".
> Have the labs continued to utilized their regular "kitchen model"
> microwaves and applied duct work to them to be vented out of the
> building?
> Please comment.
>
> Thank you,
> Stacey Burton, H.T. ASCP
> Precision Pathology Services
> San Antonio Texas
>
>
>
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