DCHAS-L Archives, Aug 9, 2010 - Re: pregnant student in chemistry lab

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 15:02:53 -0700
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: bill parks <misterbill21225**At_Symbol_Here**YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: pregnant student in chemistry lab
In-Reply-To: <5E66C3A6359EA847A62F0DA23CE6D24106008433**At_Symbol_Here**UHSEVS.UHS.local>
--0-1051351190-1281391373=:78113

All,
=C2=A0
A thought.....................................
=C2=A0
Might I recommend the physician looking at the MSDS, chemical inventory, et
c be an Occ Doc rather than a GP, Internist, or the OB/GYN. That's how I us
ually handle this with my clients.

Better to let someone with the understanding of Occupational Medicine and/o
r Toxicology be the point person.

Bill Parks
CHST, CHMP, CEHT, LSP(C), RPIH
CHEMPHYXX
630/380-4032

**Providing sound Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety and Health, Envir
onmental Health & IAQ, Environmental, and Laboratory support services and s
olutions for nearly 30 years**

--- On Mon, 8/9/10, Harrington, Rachel  wrote:

From: Harrington, Rachel 
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010, 3:49 PM





I have been confronted with this issue a number of times over the years and
 I always tell employees/students that if I felt the controls for minimizin
g exposure were not adequate for them then I wouldn=E2=80=99t consider them
 adequate for anyone. =C2=A0If they have done a proper job safety analysis/
hazard indentification, are using appropriate engineering controls along wi
th appropriate PPE =C2=A0(things I assist them with all the time) then I su
ggest that they take all this handling information with them to their next 
doctor=E2=80=99s visit and see what he/she has to say.=C2=A0 I also offer t
hem a consult with our contract Occupational Physician who can better addre
ss any specific chemical concerns.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Because I am not a doctor, I
 don=E2=80=99t feel comfortable making the call on whether or not they can 
stay in their particular work environment.=C2=A0 But my original statement 
stands, I don=E2=80=99t assume that because someone is pregnant their risk 
of exposure has somehow magically
 multiplied.=C2=A0 
=C2=A0
I would also be interested to know how other institutions handle this situa
tion.=C2=A0 
=C2=A0
Rachel E. Harrington, MPH, CHMM
Director - Office of Environmental, Health, and Safety
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
3333 Green Bay Road
North Chicago, IL =C2=A0 60064
W=C2=A0 847-578-3420
M=C2=A0 224-622-4244
=C2=A0
LIFE IN DISCOVERY
=C2=A0
=C2=A0



From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Da
vid C. Finster
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 1:55 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemistry lab
=C2=A0
I am aware that a student who will be taking a general chemistry course thi
s fall is pregnant.=C2=A0 I am writing to the list to seek advice about how
 to best handle this circumstance (assuming that one of the options =E2=80
=93 not taking the course =E2=80=93 is not a preferred option).
=C2=A0
(I have checked the D-CHAS archives, and other sources, and found no partic
ularly helpful answers to this question.=C2=A0 This is not really a CHP mat
ter since the student is not an employee =E2=80=93 although we ordinarly us
e our CHP as the safety document for students, too.)
=C2=A0
So far as I know (but I can check this to be certain) none of the chemicals
 used in our general chemistry labs are teratogens.=C2=A0 Thus, my initial 
suggested course of action is that the student participate in all of the la
bs experiments (using all of the PPE at all times that is recommended for a
ll students.)=C2=A0 We rarely use chemical hoods in this particular course 
since most of the chemicals we use present no significant inhalation risk.
=C2=A0 (We use hoods when there is an inhalation risk.)=C2=A0 
=C2=A0
If there is some chemical that is, or is suspected to be, a teratogen, I wo
uld advise the student to skip that lab (and have the instructor determine 
how to do this without any penalty to the student).
=C2=A0
The pathway suggested above seems reasonable and prudent to me.=C2=A0 Howev
er, since we live in a world where the consideration of worst-case scenario
s is wise and legally prudent, it seems to me that having the student consu
lt with her physician (with a complete list of chemicals "in hand
=") and having the physician and/or student "sign off=E2=80
=9D on some reasonable statement in advance seems smart.=C2=A0 Since I woul
d not expect a physician to be familiar with the teratogenic effects of =E2
=80=9Call chemicals=", I would also present the physician with a det
ailed list of the known or suspected effects of each chemical (extracted fr
om TOXNET) with regard to being handled while pregnant.
=C2=A0
The advice and experience of the D-CHAS group is welcome.
=C2=A0
Dave
=C2=A0
=C2=A0
David C. Finster
Professor of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Chemistry
Wittenberg University
dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu
=C2=A0      
--0-1051351190-1281391373=:78113



All,
 
A thought.....................................
 
Might I recommend the physician looking at the MSDS, chemical inventor
y, etc be an Occ Doc rather than a GP, Internist, or the OB/GYN. That's how
 I usually handle this with my clients.

Better to let someone with the understanding of Occupational Medic
ine and/or Toxicology be the point person.

Bill Parks
CHST, CHMP, CEHT, LSP(C), RPIH
CHEMPHYXX
630/3
80-4032

**Providing sound Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety an
d Health, Environmental Health & IAQ, Environmental, and Laboratory sup
port services and solutions for nearly 30 years**

--- On Mon, 8/9
/10, Harrington, Rachel <rachel.harrington**At_Symbol_Here**ROSALINDFRANKLIN.EDU> wrote:


From: Harrington, Rachel <rachel.harrington**At_Symbol_Here**RO
SALINDFRANKLIN.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] pregnant student in chemis
try lab
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010, 3:49 P
M







I have bee
n confronted with this issue a number of times over the years and I always 
tell employees/students that if I felt the controls for minimizing exposure
 were not adequate for them then I wouldn=E2=80=99t consider them adequate 
for anyone.  If they have done a proper job safety analysis/hazard ind
entification, are using appropriate engineering controls along with appropr
iate PPE  (things I assist them with all the time) then I suggest that
 they take all this handling information with them to their next doctor=E2
=80=99s visit and see what he/she has to say.  I also offer them a con
sult with our contract Occupational Physician who can better address any sp
ecific chemical concerns.   Because I am not a doctor, I don=E2
=80=99t feel comfortable making the call on whether or not they can stay in
 their particular work
 environment.  But my original statement stands, I don=E2=80=99t assum
e that because someone is pregnant their risk of exposure has somehow magic
ally multiplied.  

 

I would al
so be interested to know how other institutions handle this situation. 
; 


    
        Previous post
         | 
        Top of Page
         | 
        Next post
    


 




 



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.
Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated

DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive

Previous by Date

Next by Date
