There are no specific risk factors associated with pregancy for general cytometry work that I am aware of. In most cases, standard safety precautions (e.g. protective gloves, no ingestion in the lab, hand washing, etc) should suffice. However, as a precaution, it may be advisable to assess potential workplace exposures by category. 1) Chemicals: Make a list of every chemical handled. Are there any teratogenic agents used? Lead? 2) Biological: Probably not a major concern if all cells are fixed. Consider whether cells could harbor infectious agents that are potentially teratogenic (e.g. rubella virus, Toxoplasma Gondii, etc) 3) Physical: Is there any exposure to ionizing radiation? In the U.S., exposure limits for pregnant women are generally 10% of the allowable dose for adults. 4) Mechanical: This is primarily a concern to the mother, not the baby. Assess ergonomic features of the workstation design. Is the chair comfortable? Does she need to overextend to reach the controls? Excessive twisting or bending? Frequent work breaks (as you mentioned) are advisable to reduce operator fatigue. There are a number of stretches that might also alleviate discomfort associated with extended work while seated. Here's a good place to identify agents that might be harmful during pregnancy:http://www.perinatology.com/exposures/chemlist.htm Regards, Tom *********************************** R. Thomas Leonard, M.S., CSP, CBSP Safety Officer The Wistar Institute 3601 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (ph)215-898-3712 (fx)215-898-3868
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Apr 03 2002 - 11:59:20 EST