Pregnancy: Chemistry Technician in Electricity generating Nuclear Facility.

[TexasLady]

Is it safe to work as a Chemistry Technician in a nuclear plant that generates electricity when pregnant?  I just found out I was pregnant and work as a chemistry technician in a nuclear plant.

[vikingfan]

Since you already work at a nuclear power plant , do you feel safe at your plant ? and it is up to you if you want to declare or not. federal limit on your fetus is 500 millirem. but its your decision.

[HydroDave63]

Is it safe to work as a Chemistry Technician in a nuclear plant that generates electricity when pregnant?  I just found out I was pregnant and work as a chemistry technician in a nuclear plant.

More importantly, what about the effect of uptake of reagents and solvents in the lab?

[RDTroja]

I, too, find it hard to beleive that you don't already know the answer to your question. Is your concern about the radiation or the generating electricty part? As HydroDave pointed out, your proximity to the chem lab is probably a better target for your concern. You have to option to declare your pregnancy and thus limit your radiation exposure to about 0... the rules say you would have a 500 mRem limit, but no RPM is going to let you get more than a couple of mRem for the gestation period.

IMHO, your exposure to certain chemicals should be your limiting factor.

[Already Gone]

Congratulations.

I agree with Roger and Dave, unless the chem lab has changed drastically in the last ten years, there are many things in there which give me cause to be concerned.  Even if you are not still using the same nasty reagents that I used to use, I'll bet that your lab is like every other lab -- there are "artifacts" of bygone methods and equipment in the cabinets and drawers.  Please don't go near the cabinet under the sink.  Don't open any unlabeled containers.  Don't touch the lead bricks.

While nothing in your workplace contains anything in large enough quantities to put your health in immediate danger, even trace amounts of some elements pose a threat to fetal development.

Now that I have worried you, I apologize for the alarm.  The fact is that most of those elements are present in any workplace and not as well controlled as they will be in yours.  Your lab is miles ahead of the ones in the dirt burners.  You and your unborn child are plenty safe as long as the housekeeping is maintained and you remember to wear your PPE.  And of course, WASH YOUR HANDS.

The fact is that you and your coworkers are very well trained in dealing with workplace hazards.  Part of that includes a heightened awareness of what those hazards are.  The other part of that is that you control them better than most of the rest of the world's workforce.  So, you are probably safer at work than you would be in many other places.  I would not recommend, for example, that you take your car to have the oil changed and wait for it in the room next to that nasty garage.  Have someone else pump your gas for you.  Don't clean your oven with that stuff in a can.  Don't be around anyone who is smoking.  Don't handle raw poultry without gloves, and disinfect your countertop afterward.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.

The most important thing to remember is that you do what you feel is safe and avoid things that you feel are unsafe.  Follow your doctor's advice about flu shots, and avoid people who appear to be sick.

Again, Congratulations and best wishes to you.

[spentfuel]

Congrats also if appropriate

Is it safe to work as a Chemistry Technician in a nuclear plant that generates electricity when pregnant? 

Hmm must be one of these new gen reactor plants as most of the older ones generate electricity when on-line regardless of weather their pregnant or not.

Seriously I'm not sure weather your concern is the radiation or the temps of an on-line plant, electrical fields or what ??

I can offer that I have worked beside many pregnant ladies over the last 30+ years at plants and the incidence of illness or birth defect are only a bit  different than the standard population and are actually a little better due to slightly above average health care.

[JessJen]

I think you'll be fine dear, follow established procedures and work smartly is all.  Trust me, I worked outages until past my due date with my son, and he is perfect in every way.  As the others mentioned, I'd be more worried about chemical exposure than radiological any day. 

[UncaBuffalo]

I, too, find it hard to beleive that you don't already know the answer to your question. Is your concern about the radiation or the generating electricty part? As HydroDave pointed out, your proximity to the chem lab is probably a better target for your concern. You have to option to declare your pregnancy and thus limit your radiation exposure to about 0... the rules say you would have a 500 mRem limit, but no RPM is going to let you get more than a couple of mRem for the gestation period.

IMHO, your exposure to certain chemicals should be your limiting factor.

As Mr. Troja noted, your exposure (if you 'declare') will probably be MUCH lower than 500 mRem for the gestation...so chemical exposure will be a larger concern.



RE:your question about the radiation risk, I just read some interesting statistics:

The natural rate of cancer death in children is 1.4 per 1000.   A prenatal radiation dose of 1000 mrem may increase this risk to 2 cases per 1000.  

The natural rate of small head size in infants is 40 cases per 1000. A prenatal dose of 1000 mrem may increase this risk to 49 cases per 1000.  

The natural rate of mental retardation in children is 4 per 1000. A prenatal dose of 1000 mrem may increase this risk to 8 cases per 1000




So, 'declare' your pregnancy & minimize your exposure (to radiation & chemicals) during the pregnancy...better safe than sorry.