DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:05:16 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Vaiju.Bagal**At_Symbol_Here**EMDCHEMICALS.COM
Subject: Re: 2 Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
In-Reply-To: <26BAAAB4DF744F6B94AEBDFED39D3377**At_Symbol_Here**bruekbergterm1>
Nonetheless, in the actual workplace pregnant women would not be
"protected" this way. I understand that students can be oblivious to
potential hazards in the lab, And as I am sure you are aware, the fetus
would be most affected in the first trimester, when a woman may not even
know she is pregnant,. This includes aspirin, and I believe it is chronic
exposure, not a one-time event.
As an industrial chemist, I think this attitude is teaching all students,
male and female, exactly the wrong idea about chemical safety. Yes,
students are careless, but we want them to have learned safe lab practices
before they come to work for us.
The aspirin synthesis: salicylic acid, acetic anhydride, phosphoric acid,
aspirin at the end. I know we are not being specific here, but I think we
should. The labs in an undergraduate class are standard, and the reagents
well characterized. Certainly the teaching staff and the Chemical Hygiene
Officer would know the hazards and the PPE available as well as the
engineering controls..
Ujjvala (Vaiju) Bagal
Specialist, Methods Development
Phone: 01-912-964-9050 ext.53236
Fax: 01-912-966-5917
Email: Vaiju.Bagal**At_Symbol_Here**emdchemicals.com
EMD Chemicals
110 EMD Blvd
Savannah, GA 31407
Home: www.emdchemicals.com
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Ben Ruekberg
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08/10/2010 10:11 AM
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Re: [DCHAS-L] 2 Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
With respect, your question is not entirely relevant. I merely pointed
out an example of a substance which may safely be ingested by most people
except pregnant women: unsafe for pregnant women but not unsafe for
everyone. The fact that it is the product of an experiment was included
merely to put the fact in a laboratory context.
It is unsafe for women in the third trimester of pregnancy to ingest
aspirin. I doubt any of the women whose children?s birth defects led to
this discovery were exposed to aspirin by any route other than oral. Thus,
I cannot speak to other routes, but again this is of limited relevance.
Aspirin, which could be present as a powder for authentic sample or mixed
melting point purposes, could become airborne during operations.
While the experiments in question would intend to preclude exposure,
students often behave in such a way as to circumvent normal precautions.
For instance, one person spills a solution of aspirin on a bench top.
Another student puts a writing implement on this bench top and, later,
into their mouth. Many students find the habit of putting writing
implements in their mouths very difficult to break during lab, even after
repeated warnings. If you feel that such an occurrence is unlikely,
consider how the sweetness of most artificial sweeteners was discovered.
(Admittedly, that was cigarettes, but the principle applies, particularly
considering that these discoverers were professional chemists who should
have known better.) Also admittedly, this would never be a safe practice,
but unsafe practices are what lead to accidents and, like it or not,
humans will have accidents. The difference is the degree of severity of
the accident, which for the fetus can be catastrophic.
BR
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
Harrington, Rachel
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 11:58 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 2 Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
Do you mean that it is not safe for a pregnant woman to ingest aspirin or,
that it is unsafe for the pw to be in the presence of aspirin or
chemicals reacted to make aspirin? I would expect that any procedures
designed for the aspirin-making experiment would eliminate ingestion, as
well as skin absorption and inhalation, as routes of exposure.
RH
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of
List Moderator
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 10:08 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] 2 Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
From: "Ben Ruekberg"
Date: August 10, 2010 8:02:39 AM EDT
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
I must take exception to the generalization that it a lab is not safe for
a
pregnant person, it is not safe for anyone. Consider the relatively
common
lab experiment of making aspirin. Aspirin is safe for most people, but
not
pregnant women.
Ben Ruekberg
===
From: melissa.ballard**At_Symbol_Here**us.michelin.com
Date: August 10, 2010 11:00:18 AM EDT
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
I work as an Industrial Hygiene Chemist so protecting employees from
exposure & over exposure is my main purpose. I had a baby last year and
continued to work in the lab while pregnant & while breast-feeding. I
avoided the use of certain known teratogens (specifically CS2) and
double-gloved when I used anything else. All of my work was performed in a
fume hood. I too took MSDSs to my OB and talked to him & my manager
candidly about the risk of exposing the fetus to anything that could cause
damage.
I used common sense & did what I felt comfortable with. I think offering
the student choices would be the best route. I'm sure the student can meet
the learning objectives of the labs through other means.
Good luck! Glad to see that you are being proactive & taking the concern
seriously.
Melissa Ballard
Industrial Hygiene & Environmental Chemist
Michelin North America
1401 Antioch Church Road
Greenville, SC 29605
864.458.1843
melissa.ballard**At_Symbol_Here**us.michelin.com
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