Announcement About Household Appliances

Cindy Chaffee, director of environmental health and safety, has received inquiries about using household appliances (microwaves, toaster ovens, coffee pots, refrigerators, etc.) in offices, work areas, and small break rooms. While doing research on the topic, she found the following information from OSHA on

Question: Is it acceptable for employees to use a UL-listed coffeemaker or other small appliance labeled as “Household Use Only” in an office or small break-room?

Reply: The employer must ensure that all electrical equipment used by employees meets or exceeds OSHA standards. Whether an employer’s use of UL-listed coffee makers and other small appliances labeled “For Household Use Only” is allowed under the “instructions included in the listing or labeling” depends on an evaluation of the relevant factors, such as those mentioned in the answer to the preceding question [See quotation below labeled ‘Relevant factors’]. Like Underwriters Laboratories, OSHA recognizes that the use of small appliances in offices or break rooms may be comparable to their use in a household and thus would not be expected to present a higher level of hazard.”
Relevant factors: “According to Underwriters Laboratory, in distinguishing household use from commercial use it would consider factors such as, but not limited to: (1) level of anticipated daily use; (2) knowledge of the users; and (3) the care and cleaning of the machine.”

These types of items are a fire hazard and an electrical hazard when used in the wrong conditions. OSHA and NEC require that these appliances be grounded. In other words, they need a three-pronged plug. OSHA also requires that they be plugged directly into an outlet, not a surge protector strip or extension cord.

These items can also be used improperly. For example, some of the chemical laboratories are using microwaves and refrigerators to do things like prep or store their samples for experiments. That is acceptable. It is not acceptable to have a microwave or refrigerator in laboratories to heat and store food and drink for human consumption.

Because of the potential hazards presented by these items, people who want these items in their office spaces, laboratories, or work areas at Illinois Tech must contact either Cindy Chaffee or Todd Diel to gain approval. We want people at Illinois Tech to have easy access to these items, but we do not want to risk the health and safety of the university community in the process.