[Nhcoll-l] Protocols for Hazardous Materials use by pregnant researchers

[Dirk Neumann]

Dear Moe,

this is a question of liability. We do it the other way round in our 
histology & DNA lab (especially in the histology which works with 
poisonous osmium tetroxid): we explain the health risks properly, refer 
to the msds sheets which list all known hazards, and then let pregnant 
women who wish to work in the lab sign a document that they have been 
informed about potential health risks (in a thorough safety briefing), 
and that we do not take any responsibility or liability.

Our advice for permanent staff is: do not enter the lab area. For 
visitors, you cannot take any responsibility anyway, but I guess because 
of the legal system in the US you could be sued. As you probably don't 
know the exact history of your specimens anyway (could include also 
other poisons or poisonous products resulting from secondary reactions), 
I would avoid to target for any protocol on specific (single) chemicals 
anyway, because you can't include the rest you don't know.

Consequently, I would warn explicitly for any eventual risks potentially 
linked with the material, and let the visitor sign that he understood, 
knows and accepts that you will not take any responsibility or liability.

Hope this helps

Dirk

Am 12.02.2015 um 18:07 schrieb Flannery, Moe:
>
> Hello all-
>
> Do any of your organizations have a formal protocol outlining the use 
> of specimens that may contain hazardous materials (i.e. arsenic, 
> formalin) by staff or researchers who are pregnant? We had a request 
> from a visiting researcher who is pregnant to work in the bird skin 
> collection which does contain arsenic. Unfortunately our institutional 
> chemical hygiene protocol for arsenic does not address pregnancy.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions or copies of protocols if available.
>
> Best,
>
> Moe
>
> *Maureen Flannery
> *Ornithology and Mammalogy Collection Manager
> California Academy of Sciences
> p. 415.379.5371
> f.  415.379.5738
> mflannery at calacademy.org <mailto:mflannery at calacademy.org>
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-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

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Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Labor
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Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

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Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
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