Posted By Tracey Arnold I used to work in a lab and so long as the products we used were not harmful to the unborn baby then work in the lab was carried on. Pregnant women were only removed from the lab once they were a little large to be carrying out lab work safely. You should carry out a risk assessment for you pregnant ladies also and take into consideration the amount of time they have to stand at the bench etc.

Posted By Nigel thank you for your responses However, can i confirm risk assessments do exist and indicate no chemical hazards exist if procedures etc are followed. It is the fact that this fails to convince the person(s) involved especially as she claims to have friends who are lab based in other companies and that their standard procedure is to remove the person from the lab.

Posted By Rod Douglas No one else throwing in their two pennnies worth? Aye, Rod

Posted By Sean Fraser Just a thought, but have you asked who the other Lab is and offered to contact their H&S professional for their advice? It might give you specific information you hadn't considered - or it might just confirm what we all know, that just 'cos it's called a Lab doesn't mean it does the same thing as you! And if nothing else, it is calling a bluff - if there is an unwillingness to offer the name of a company for what is after all a legitimate line of enquiry, then it may show up a wee white lie. However, there are those out there who put the wind up pregnant women (especially first timers) for whatever reason, benign & misguided or deliberate and malicious, so be aware of and challenge where sources of so-called "information" are originating on. You may find (as you have stated) that the bogeyman principle is being applied - just because it hasn't been proven yet doesn't mean it ISN'T harmful - proving a negative is impossible! If logic, weight of evidence and evbery avenue is not explored then this will remain a thorn in your flesh for a while - at least until term!

Posted By Rod Douglas James, If you did not pay them you would lose at a Industrial Tribunal, simple as that... They could just go their Doctor and be signed off and you would have to pay them... No ifs or buts... Aye, Rod

Posted By peter gotch Nigel, I think the tone of your last posting is liable to mean that the next time you ask for help, other users of the forum will be more reluctant. However, a simple google search safety chemical laboratories pregnant will rapidly find you a list of not only those chemicals where the safety data sheet will flag up a problem, but also suspect teratogens. A good weekend to all including those who have expanded the original debate. Peter

Posted By Jonathan Hall I am the Health and Safety Officer for a fairly young pharmaceutical company - we had exactly the same issues with pregnant women. Our problem was not so much the materials being used (DCM, DMF) where the hazards were known, but the thousands of materials we were making and handling of which there is no known hazard data. Also, most of our chemists are fairly young so pregnancies are rare and usually the woman's first, meaning that the issues have to be handled carefully. We wrote a generic assessment taking into account the factors involved with pregnant women, e.g., chemicals used, manual lifting, tiredness, radiation risks, NMR usage, nausea especially in early pregnancy, stress, spillages and accidental contamination, worries about the actions of co-workers, etc. Additionally, every pregnant woman goes through an assessment with me and the line manager to look at the specific risks in that case. The most important factor has seemed to be the woman's state of mind and their own opinion. If they want to come out of the lab, it is extremely difficult to keep them in the lab. There is a risk that the extra worries and pressure may have an effect on the baby, also the mother may simply decide to take time off sick until the matter is resolved. Therefore, its far better to have a contented person who is not annoyed at the company, working to less than their normal productivity, than someone wo has taken a lot of time off and bears a grudge against the company. This also recognises that the woman's priority while pregnant is unlikely to be to their job - they will be far more concerned about their baby. Summary: we try and take a common sense approach, never saying that the lab is not a safe place, but taking as much account as possible of the woman's feelings and desires. It does also require the agreement and understanding of the line managers!