On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 09:20:03 -0800 (PST), "
> wrote:

>Is it safe to open a microwave without pressing the stop button
>first? In my office there is a microwave 15 feet away from me, and 2
>of my co-workers are always using the microwave, and they always open
>it without hitting the stop button.

First, there is an interlock that shuts off the magnetron if the door
is even ajar. (Test: Put something in the microwave to heat, turn it
on. Listen for the hum of the magnetron. Push in the button that
opens the door just slightly (or otherwise begin to open the door) and
listen; the magnetron shuts off pretty quickly).

Second, people who use a cordless phone at home, or enter a home that
has a cordless phone, have probably been exposed to a lot more
microwave radiation than can escape the oven. (A lot of cordless
phones operate at nearly the same frequency as microwave ovens: 2.4
GHz)

By and large, microwave exposure is not something to worry about; it
is, however, something that the media would like to have you worry
about...

Best -- Terry