Yes, you can stand a safe distance in front of the microwave. Microwave ovens are designed to conserve radiation. In front of the glass is a protective grid riddled with tiny holes.
Can you get cancer from standing in front of a microwave?
Like radio waves, microwaves are a type of non-ionizing radiation, which means they don’t have enough energy to remove electrons from atoms, according to the FDA. Therefore, according to the American Cancer Society, microwaves are not known to damage the DNA in cells.
Is it dangerous to stand near the microwave?
These features significantly limit exposure to even low levels of radiation. And since radiation levels fall off sharply with distance, levels two feet away are about one-hundredth the amount at two inches. Proximity to a microwave oven is not dangerous.
How far away should you stay from a microwave?
Microwave Oven Safety Standard A federal standard (21 CFR 1030.10) limits the amount of microwaves that can escape from an oven during its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter, approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. This limit is well below the level known to cause harm to humans.
Does a microwave emit radiation when it’s turned off?
Microwave ovens use electromagnetic radiation to heat food. The non-ionizing radiation used by a microwave does not make food radioactive. Microwaves are only generated when the oven is on.
Is it harmful to stand in front of a microwave oven during pregnancy?
To our knowledge yes. No human studies have linked microwave use to problems during pregnancy. Do not use the microwave oven if the door does not close properly, is bent or damaged, or if the seal around the door is broken. Do not lean against the microwave during operation.
How do I know if my microwave emits radiation?
The filament wire inside the magnetron can be radioactive very easily because a small amount of thorium is added to the tungsten wire to increase electron emission. You would need a very sensitive meter to detect it at normal background levels.