Working in the cleanroom while pregnant

Safety and pregnancy

Under normal circumstances there shouldn't be any problems with working in the lab if good lab safety procedures are meticulously observed. However, as the long term effects of all chemicals are not known and the permissible exposure limits are based on present knowledge and thus not updated until new knowledge of potential hazards has been discovered, pregnant women should always take more care. For most chemicals, very little is known about how a developing fetus will be affected by the exposure of its mother to small quantities of the chemical. Therefore a special risk assessment must be done which addresses issues that could be especially relevant for you to be more cautious of during your pregnancy. This assessment must be done together with one of the permanent NBI cleanroom staff members. Before having this discussion please go through the procedures that you use for sample fabrication based on your own knowledge and write these down. Some types of work, e.g. scribing of GaAs and InAs wafers and depositing nanowires, could be done by another person.

Pay special attention not to expose yourself to chemicals that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or hazardous to reproduction. Normal good lab safety procedures should be sufficient for you, but if you do not wish to risk any possibility of exposure to chemicals in the cleanroom, please consider withdrawing from cleanroom work during your pregnancy. That being said, pregnant women are encouraged to continue working in the cleanroom, focusing on excellent lab hygiene and safety practices, if they are comfortable with the idea that the risk is minimal and acceptable and that standard PPE and safety practices, properly employed, will afford adequate protection.

The Danish Working Environment Authority has a special guide for the working environment for pregnant and breastfeeding (In Danish).