Ask HRC: Microwave Oven Safety in Independent and Assisted Living Settings

December 2, 2008 | Health System Risk Management

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A Healthcare Risk Control (HRC) member facility recently requested recommendations for points to include in a policy regarding microwave oven use in independent and assisted living facilities. Although several groups have made recommendations regarding limiting the risk of scalding and burns related to microwave ovens in consumers’ homes, none appear specific to these long-term care settings.

For example, in 2000, the American Burn Association issued Scalds: A Burning Issue, including microwave safety recommendations on page 20 of the document; also, recommendations and statistics regarding scald injuries are available from the University of California San Francisco in a July 2008 series of frequently asked questions. Most recently, a study published in the October 2008 Pediatrics by the University of Chicago assesses the...

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