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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 15:35:44 -0500
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: Betsy Shelton <retrosynthesis**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: pregnant student in chemistry lab
In-Reply-To: <B1331E0BABBF2F41ADBB549EF89EA74A033492391CA6**At_Symbol_Here**WITTFSVS.wittenberg.edu>
I would also consider any residual that may contaminate surfaces or
equipment from teratogens used in courses other than Gen Chem that may be
held in the same laboratory (or that may share equipment). Otherwise, I
think you plan is cautious yet reasonable.
--
Best regards,
Betsy Shelton, Safety Officer
Applied Nanotech, Inc.
512.636.1905
retrosynthesis**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com
On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 1:54 PM, David C. Finster w
rote:
> I am aware that a student who will be taking a general chemistry course
> this fall is pregnant. I am writing to the list to seek advice about how
to
> best handle this circumstance (assuming that one of the options - not t
aking
> the course - is not a preferred option).
>
>
>
> (I have checked the D-CHAS archives, and other sources, and found no
> particularly helpful answers to this question. This is not really a CHP
> matter since the student is not an employee - although we ordinarly use
our
> CHP as the safety document for students, too.)
>
>
>
> So far as I know (but I can check this to be certain) none of the chemica
ls
> used in our general chemistry labs are teratogens. Thus, my initial
> suggested course of action is that the student participate in all of the
> labs experiments (using all of the PPE at all times that is recommended f
or
> all students.) We rarely use chemical hoods in this particular course si
nce
> most of the chemicals we use present no significant inhalation risk. (We
> use hoods when there is an inhalation risk.)
>
>
>
> If there is some chemical that is, or is suspected to be, a teratogen, I
> would advise the student to skip that lab (and have the instructor determ
ine
> how to do this without any penalty to the student).
>
>
>
> The pathway suggested above seems reasonable and prudent to me. However,
> since we live in a world where the consideration of worst-case scenarios
is
> wise and legally prudent, it seems to me that having the student consult
> with her physician (with a complete list of chemicals =93in hand=94) and
having
> the physician and/or student =93sign off=94 on some reasonable statement
in
> advance seems smart. Since I would not expect a physician to be familiar
> with the teratogenic effects of =93all chemicals=94, I would also present
the
> physician with a detailed list of the known or suspected effects of each
> chemical (extracted from TOXNET) with regard to being handled while
> pregnant.
>
>
>
> The advice and experience of the D-CHAS group is welcome.
>
>
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
>
> David C. Finster
> Professor of Chemistry
> University Chemical Hygiene Officer
> Department of Chemistry
> Wittenberg University
> dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu
>
>
>
I would also consider any residual that may contaminate surfaces or equipme
nt from teratogens used in courses other than Gen Chem that may be held in
the same laboratory (or that may share equipment).=A0 Otherwise, I think yo
u plan is cautious yet reasonable.
--
Best regards,
Betsy Shelton, Safety Officer
Applied Na
notech, Inc.
512.636.1905
retrosynthesis**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com
On Mon, Aug
9, 2010 at 1:54 PM, David C. Finster
<dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu> wrote:
I am aware that a student who will be taking a gener
al
chemistry course this fall is pregnant.=A0 I am writing to the list to seek
advice about how to best handle this circumstance (assuming that one of the
options - not taking the course - is not a preferred option).
=A0
(I have checked the D-CHAS archives, and other sourc
es, and
found no particularly helpful answers to this question.=A0 This is not
really a CHP matter since the student is not an employee - although we
ordinarly use our CHP as the safety document for students, too.)
=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.=A0 Thus
,
my initial suggested course of action is that the student participate in al
l of
the labs experiments (using all of the PPE at all times that is recommended
for
all students.)=A0 We rarely use chemical hoods in this particular course
since most of the chemicals we use present no significant inhalation risk.
=A0
(We use hoods when there is an inhalation risk.)=A0
=A0
If there is some chemical that is, or is suspected t
o be, a
teratogen, I would advise the student to skip that lab (and have the instru
ctor
determine how to do this without any penalty to the student).
=A0
The pathway suggested above seems reasonable and pru
dent to me.=A0
However, since we live in a world where the consideration of worst-case
scenarios is wise and legally prudent, it seems to me that having the stude
nt
consult with her physician (with a complete list of chemicals =93in hand=94
)
and having the physician and/or student =93sign off=94 on some
reasonable statement in advance seems smart.=A0 Since I would not expect a
physician to be familiar with the teratogenic effects of =93all chemicals
=94,
I would also present the physician with a detailed list of the known or
suspected effects of each chemical (extracted from TOXNET) with regard to b
eing
handled while pregnant.
=A0
The advice and experience of the D-CHAS group is wel
come.
=A0
Dave
=A0
=A0
David
C. Finster
Professor of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Chemistry
Wittenberg University
dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu
=A0
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