A proactive approach for the evaluation of fetal safety in chemical industries

5 A PROACTIVE APPROACH FOR THE EVALUATION OF FETAL SAFETY IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES 

their families and employers are concerned about potential fetal risks that may be associated with occupational exposure to chemicals. To be able to assess suchrisks in a particular plant, one has to quantify local exposure and contrast it with evidence-based literature data. There are, however, numerous obstacles that prevent such risk assessment from being routinely performed. In the reproductive literature there are few studies that actually quantify exposure levels. In the instance where authors attempt to quantify or stratify exposure, the exposure frequencies and the exposure doses are inconsistent between studies. 

Typically, investigations into fetal safety are induced by single or clusters of specific malformations, or by symptoms in exposed women. We recently reported a proactive consultation process where, for a selected chemical compound to which women working in the Products and Chemicals Divisions at Imperial Oil Limited (lOL) may be exposed, actual exposure data were contrasted with literature values and a risk assessment was constructed.  

6-9 Some daily routine exposures may be expected between 

The rating factor (RF) can be assessed using industrial hygiene professional judgment or monitored data. NRRF is the non-routine rating factor for non-routine work defined as job task or activities which are done seasonally, occasionally or cyclical. The definitions listed for RRF apply. 

Rating Factor (RF) Definition 0 No reasonable chance for exposure 

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