DCHAS-L Archives Aug 09 2010 - Re: pregnant student in chemistry lab

--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. ;

Rachel E. Harrington, MPH, CHMM
Director - Office of Environmental , Health, and Safety
Rosalind< I> Franklin University of Medicine and Science< /DIV>
3333 Green Bay Road< /I>
North Chicago, IL 60064< /SPAN>
W 847-578-3420
M 224-622-4244

LIFE IN DISCOVERY

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of David 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

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 o f the options =E2=80=93 not taking the course =E2=80=93 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 =E2=80=93 alt hough 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 chemicals used in our general chemistry labs are teratogens. Thus, my initial suggested course of action is that the student partici pate in all of the labs experiments (using all of the PPE at all times that is recommended for all students.) We rarely use chemical hoods in th is particular course since most of the chemicals we use present no signific ant 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 determine how to do this without any penalty to the student).

The pathway suggested above seems reasonable and prude nt to me. However, since we live in a world where the consideration o f worst-case scenarios is wise and legally prudent, it seems to me that hav ing the student consult with her physician (with a complete list of chemica ls "in hand=") and having the physician and/or student =E2 =80=9Csign off=" on some reasonable statement in advance seems smart . Since I would not expect a physician to be familiar with the terato genic effects of "all chemicals=", I would also present the physician with a detailed list of the known or suspected effects of each ch emical (extracted from TOXNET) with regard to being handled while pregnant.

The advice and experience of the D-CHAS group is welco me.

Dave

< SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">David C. Fin ster
Professor of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
De partment of Chemistry
Wittenberg University
dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenbe rg.edu

--0-1051351190-1281391373=:78113--

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