Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Can pregnant women safely work on Arsenic analysis?
Q. My question is, does working in lab on arsenic analysis affect pregnant women? What are the safety measures she should take while working in a chemical lab, If is it not possible to quit the job during pregnancy. Is Arsenic hygroscopic? Please someone give me full details.
Sinny S [surname deleted for privacy by Editor]2006
A. What kind of liability would someone have in this forum by giving you advice on this? (shudder)
Sheldon Taylor
supply chain electronics
Wake Forest, North Carolina
2006
A. A pregnant woman can often get no advice on issues crucial to her from her doctor, her employer, or her mega-trillion dollar government for fear of liability ... and then must turn to strangers on the internet. It's not quite clear whether Sinny is asking for herself or whether she is in school trying to learn the answer so she can offer help later. Let's hope it's the latter and that she is fearless enough to put her education to use.
But things change and the next generation may not allow lawyers the run of the place like this foolish one has, but only reward them in proportion to their contribution to society :-)
I'm no expert, but have not heard that arsenic poses special dangers to pregnant women. You should, though, certainly have the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for every chemical you are working with, and the MSDS should alert you to that kind of special dangers. Good luck.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006
A. Have a talk with your supervisor after you have carefully read the MSDS sheets for each of the chemicals involved.
I am not a Dr or an industrial hygienist, but it would seem that if you are wearing the required personal protective equipment and working in a hood, you should have a low risk.
Arsenic metal should not be hygroscopic. The salts probably are. Look at the MSDS.
If you think that it might be a problem, then you should quit for the duration. Perception is everything.
Navarre, Florida
2006
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