Sadly I have already been exposed to xylene several times as I cannot avoid the smell. It’s everywhere. There are not enough vents in the lab. I don’t know if it’s ignorance or malice but my manager and coworkers are not quite informed about the dangers that a pregnant woman face in a histology lab. They feel that if the lab passed a xylene vapor tests and give me a general purpose respirator then that’s enough for me to be safe and I can do the same work as everybody else. There is a negligent attitude regarding safety in this laboratory. Also there has been a negative attitude towards pregnant women like if they were are a burden in the lab. It makes me nervous to work here. I don’t think is a healthy work environment.
On Saturday, January 18, 2020, Eck, Allison <a...@dh.org> wrote: > Valerie > I have worked in histo with both of my pregnancies with my most recent one > just three months ago. Embedding and cutting and even grossing are fine to > do while pregnant. Under no condition, even with Ppe, should you be > changing stainers or processors or dumping waste or mixing chemicals. A > pregnant woman should not be near powder chemicals as they are inhalation > hazards and xylene in general is an absolute no no. It is a reproductive > toxin and you should have no contact with it. > Please reach out if you have any other questions but your employer mst > make accommodations for you while you are pregnant. > > Allison > > Allison Eck HTL(ASCP)cm, QLS > ________________________________________ > From: Valerie Laughlin via Histonet [histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] > Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2020 7:21 AM > To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > Subject: [Histonet] Pregnant in histo lab. Am I safe? > > Hello everyone. I am currently in the last weeks of my first trimester of > my pregnancy. > > > I have asked this question to my Ob-Gyn, family and general pregnancy > forums but I wanted to ask people who understand the field of > Histotechnology better. > > > I have been very concerned about the side effects of the chemicals that > might have on my baby. The lab works with the typical stuff (formaldehyde, > xylene, alcohol of different percentages, glacial acetic acid, stains etc) > They make the fixative from scratch. > > > I had to inform my supervisor and manager. I didn’t get the most positive > reaction from them but I don’t care as this is my personal business and I > have rights like everybody else. > > > I gave them a letter from my doctor informing my pregnancy and that I > should be kept away from the chemicals for my own safety. > > > They acknowledged the letter but still decided to buy a respirator mask for > me which is fine. It’s good to have protective equipment no matter the > circumstance. > > > I told them that I can do the same tasks I do every day such as grossing > but with a mask, embedding, cutting and filing but that I don’t feel > comfortable changing the chemicals of the tissue processor and slide > stainer, and mixing chemicals. Also that I can’t dump the chemicals in the > biohazard room as there is not enough ventilation. > > > Literally an hour after I informed this a nurse who was working in a rojom > close to the biohazard room had a negative reaction and had to be sent to > the ER where she was there for days. She blamed the chemicals from the > biohazard room. Other nurses who work close to that room had reported > negative side effects as well. This situation made me more uncomfortable > specially when my coworkers think the nurses are over reacting and it has > to be some other cause because they don’t get the same reactions. > > > My biggest concern is that despite the letter of my doctor and what ocurred > in the past weeks with the nurse I am still feeling pressured by my > coworkers to work with the chemicals as they feel that a mask, a lab coat > and gloves is enough protection. I am unsure about this. > > > I didn’t get a proper fit test for my respirator by the way. I have worked > for another corporation where they did that right after getting hired. > > > I have read that chemicals can be absorbed through the skin too. > > > I just want to know the opinion of pregnant lab techs and supervisors who > have worked with them. > > > I have read older threads about this in this forum before and everybody had > positive and negative experiences. Some workers were completely removed > from the lab while others kept performing the same tasks. Some say their > babies turned out healthy while others blame the job for causing short and > long term > > health issues for the babies. > > > Most of the employers protected the pregnant worker from the chemicals to > avoid any risks which I feel that’s the direction my employer should take. > There are 3 other histotechs in the lab and they don’t seem happy to have > that extra task in their hands, despite being the one who changed the > processor most of the time this past year besides the supervisor. > > > Thank you for your help. This has caused a lot of distress in me and I just > want to be safe. > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.utsouthwestern. > edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet__;!!DSOD-gJhEGKx5ylYJgQ! > wXUhrTNGAT1e7WIrWBzKQma8r8eNl-9C7c6-gVfAyafbTwi2nuEg6Fjh6g$ > _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet