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From: Ralph Froehlich <rfroehlich**At_Symbol_Here**HELIXENV.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] [*Newsletter*] [DCHAS-L] DCHAS: Mothers-to-be in organic chem labs.
Date: Sep 16, 2025 16:00 UTC
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: <FCC45219-815C-4B31-91B4-FD5F1FB20765**At_Symbol_Here**helixenv.com>
In-Reply-To: <CANkUwArj0fXAyjBX8PN63OBQ1X9c9O9iA+ekfQ_q6MdHNyXA5w**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
On Sep 14, 2025, at 10:49 PM, Jonathan Klane <jklane1**At_Symbol_Here**ASU.EDU> wrote:What a great conversation that speaks to the power of this list and its members!I believe there's still a question about the Johnson Controls v. UAW decision and how it compares and contrasts with this particular situation (and similar) scenarios.Going by memory (often a bit uncertain) the Johnson Controls case was and is important to employers. There was a female employee who worked on a loading dock or warehouse where she was exposed to CO from the exhaust of fork trucks and/or the tractor trailers.Johnson Controls decided to transfer her to another position where she (and her baby) wouldn't be exposed to CO, a known teratogen/reproductive toxin. The new position paid less and was thus considered by the UAW to be a demotion which she didn't want or ask for. They sued and argued successfully that Johnson Controls couldn't abdicate their responsibility to control the exposures by transferring her against her wishes. Instead, they had to take positive actions to adequately control the exposures to both her and the baby.In the situation we've discussed, it's an undergrad, and not an employee. She isn't being paid so there is no demotion. The college didn't disenfranchise her from her academic course. And they are approaching it collaboratively which is positive according to our group's consensus.So, yes, the Johnson Controls case is important for employment law under OSHA. However, it doesn't have direct relevance on an equivalence basis here due to these differences between the two matters.Feel free to correct my memory and to disagree with my commentary.All my best,JonJonathan Klane, M.S.Ed., CIH, CSP, CHMM, CITStorytelling ConsultantPhD candidate, Human + Social Dimensions of Science + TechnologyCollege of Global FuturesSchool for the Future of Innovation in Society--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgOn Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 8:57 AM David EldrEdge <Dave.EldrEdge**At_Symbol_Here**naltic.com> wrote:I worked on this list until late last night:
This is a working document for our teaching labs. It is not a replacement for the SDS, but a way to give students direct links to PubChem entries with health and safety or toxicity information.
A couple of these reagents are a mixed bag, for example ligroin (petroleum ether) and hexanes, so I listed out the most common species found in each.
I would love some input from more experts on this. I have already shared the list with the student in question and also made it available to the entire class.
Thanks again to everyone for your help and support!
Warm regards,David EldrEdgeCo-OwnerNALTIC Industrials, LLC888.891.0077 Main435.503.4972 Cell435.767.7714 Google Voice & Text435.654.2727 Faxᐧ--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgOn Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 4:33 PM James Kaufman <jkaufman**At_Symbol_Here**labsafetyinstitute.org> wrote:Plus ... the fetus is 1000 times more sensitive than the mother in the first trimester. Smelling is not going to be any help. PEL, TLV, and REL readings are not going to be any help. Know the chemical that are fetal toxins and have zero exposure.Read the case about Katie Oligschlaeger ..."Katie Oligschlaeger is suing her mother's employer, Teva Pharmaceuticals. Oligschlaeger alleges that she was born with birth defects because her mother was ..."... JimPS. LSI now has virtual lab inspections, safety program evaluations, document reviews, plus courses and seminars ... all virtual. And, a complimentary, updated version of our classic Laboratory Safety Guidelines is now available on our website ... https://www.labsafety.org/product/lab-safety-rules,Plus ... be sure to take our Safer Science Self-Assessment to see how your organization stacks up! K-12: Safer Science Self-AssessmentSmall University, College, Community College: Safer Science Self-Assessment
James A. Kaufman, PhDFounder/President Emeritus
The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)A Non-profit Educational Organization for Safetyin Academic, Industrial, and Government Laboratories101 Oak Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 (MA Office)(O) 508-647-1900 (C) 508-574-6264
Teach, Learn, and Practice Science Safely
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgOn Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM Samuella Sigmann <00001d2fb4580b5b-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote:Be careful with assuming that you are not being exposed if you don't smell anything. You can be exposed well below olfactory ability to detect on many chemicals.--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
S-
On 9/11/2025 11:18 AM, David EldrEdge wrote:
Thank you everyone for these excellent comments!
Emerging Consensus (Cross-Cutting Themes)- SDS literacy is essential but insufficient → must supplement with PubChem LCSS, curated lists, hazard assessments
- Chemical lists/inventories must be provided to make physician consultation meaningful.
- Disclosure is voluntary (Title IX, Pregnancy Discrimination Act).
- Accommodations are common: modified roles, alternative assignments, deferment with no penalty.
- Ventilation/containment is under-discussed but critical: odors = exposure (Jon ASU).
- Legal backbone: Johnson Controls (1991) → institutions must protect both mother and unborn, cannot exclude, cannot offload responsibility.
Again, thank you all so very much. This input is extremely valuable.
We have some work to do. Just 40 minutes south of our campus, Utah Valley University has 12 mini fume hoods in every O-chem lab. That allows every pair of students to handle reagents and materials fully in the hood.
Thank you all again!
- Bruce Van Scoy emphasized that SDS literacy is essential, but this is insufficient on its own and must be supplemented with resources such as PubChem LCSS, curated lists, and hazard assessments (Sammye).
- Tessa Stewart and Rose Rakers showed that chemical lists and inventories must be provided in order to make physician consultation meaningful.
- Debbie Decker reminded us that disclosure is voluntary, reinforced by Title IX and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
- Tricia Hahn, Sammye, and others highlighted that accommodations are common: modified roles, alternative assignments, or deferment with no penalty.
- Jon Klane noted that ventilation and containment are under-discussed but critical; if you can smell it, exposure is occurring.
- Catherine Situma shared Auburn University’s comprehensive reproductive health policy, which may serve as a strong model.
- Harry Elston pointed us toward ACS CCS legacy guidance, while Marta Guron recommended the Lane et al. (2022) article as a scholarly baseline.
- Jim Kaufman reminded us of the legal backbone from Johnson Controls (1991), which makes clear that institutions must protect both mother and unborn, -- cannot exclude, and cannot offload responsibility to a PCP.
Warm regards,
David EldrEdgeCo-OwnerNALTIC Industrials, LLC888.891.0077 Main435.503.4972 Cell435.767.7714 Google Voice & Text435.654.2727 Fax
On Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 8:12 AM James Kaufman <jkaufman**At_Symbol_Here**labsafetyinstitute.org> wrote:
This unfortunately is contrary to the US Supreme Court decision in the United Autoworkers vs Johnson Controls 1991.
The employer must protect both the mother and unborn child.
The employer must understand the reproductive hazards of their chemicals. They must train, inform and not hand it off to an employee's PCP (who may be totally clueless).
I had one related case that settled at 10 million. ... Jim
James A. Kaufman, Ph.D.
Founder, LSI
Serving Industry, Government, & Academia for 50 years
508-574-6264
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgOn Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 11:05 AM Doug Cody <dsc1950**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> wrote:
When I was a member of Farmingdale State's chemistry faculty, the college policy was to make available a list of all chemicals to any student if they requested it. The students were then informed that guidance in this matter should come from their physician.
Doug CodyAssistant ProfessorHealth Careers & PE Department – Ammerman - Fire Protection & Life Safety StudiesNatural Sciences – Grant - ChemistryPast President of the American Society of Safety Professionals, LI ChapterPast Chair NYSUT Health & Safety Committee
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgOn Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 9:21 AM David EldrEdge <Dave.EldrEdge**At_Symbol_Here**naltic.com> wrote:
Dear DCHAS Colleagues,
I'm a part time adjunct lab instructor at a community college. I would appreciate your advice on a situation in my organic chemistry teaching lab today.
One of my students confided last semester (in general chemistry II) that she has experienced multiple early pregnancy losses over the years and how heartbreaking that was for her. Now today, a brand new semester, in organic chemistry, she shared the joyful news that she is expecting and asked if there are concerns with her working with or handling today's lab materials.
I reached out to a nearby more experienced colleague just down the hall but received little direction beyond the idea that she should avoid handling chemicals directly and instead contribute through documentation and observations while her partner does the manipulations.
Today’s experiment was a simple extraction using naphthalene and benzoic acid, but the naphthalene odor became more noticeable as the first hour progressed even with good ventilation and fume hood use. Out of caution, I excused her from the lab after reviewing information that indicates naphthalene fumes can be problematic during pregnancy.
I would like to know from this group:
Do your institutions have written policies or guidelines for mothers-to-be in teaching labs?
Are there specific substances (like naphthalene or common solvents) you flag as higher-risk during pregnancy?
How do you balance protecting health while still supporting a student’s educational progress?
Given her personal history, I want to be proactive in safeguarding her well-being while keeping her on track academically. Any perspectives, examples, or resources would be very helpful.
David EldrEdgeCo-OwnerNALTIC Industrials, LLC888.891.0077 Main435.503.4972 Cell435.767.7714 Google Voice & Text435.654.2727 Fax
ᐧ--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.orgᐧ--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
--
******************************************************************************
Samuella B. Sigmann, MS, NRCC-CHO
ACS Committee on Chemical Safety, Chair 2022-2024
ACS Fellow, 2023
ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety, Fellow & 2019 Chair,
Appalachian State University, Retired
Phone: 336 877 5147
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**retired.appstate.edu