Breastfeeding: Risk assessment of exposure to chemicals at work

[oxfordcomma]

I plan to continue to BF when I return to work in a couple of months.

I understand that before I return to work, I should provide my employer with written notification that I am breastfeeding, and that they must then conduct a specific risk assessment. Does anyone know what resources are referred to when this risk assessment is carried out, particularly with regard to exposure to chemicals?

I had a risk assessment done when pregnant and have just returned to work. Not yet filled out the risk assessment, but I was told it would be the same one. They looked at what chemicals I used and referred to COSHH guidelines. Don't know if that helps?

I found info in the UK not so great, but over here in the states the uni was really clued on.

The references they (UK)used didn't really relate to pregnancy of breastfeeding and they claimed the studies hadn't been done, but the HnS department here had tracked down a lot more.

To be honest I don't think there are really increased chemical risks over standard ones. You obviously should already know all precautions mostly it's a case of more consequences should something go wrong, so methanol can be nasty so they advised to wear my gas mask in addition in case I spilled it. For the most part I excused myself from the more dangerous stuff but then I don't use those more than once a month. We have arsenic in our lab which is the biggest concern. Also HnS offered things like swabs of workbenches to check levels in the lab hadn't got high. Their biggest worry was more to do with people having spilt stuff and not cleared it up. Basically anything you have to take safety precautions for anyway just be extra vigilant.

Weren't extra checks done when you are pg as I think they use the same studies to draw conclusions.

I think HnS regards to BF is more to do with not working massively long hours, breaks (especially if needing extra calories etc.). I think most people only draw them in if they feel work are going to awkward with regards to extra breaks and getting your expressing rights (pay not be docked, access to good facilities, not going on business travel trips)

I can go and see if I hunt down the links on our website to the MSDS related to gestation and lactation if you would like.

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I think that the precautions will probably be the same as the ones that I had to take when I was pregnant - in my case, that was not handling a couple of chemicals that are in use at work.

Actually, I hadn't properly considered this before, and it will be a bit of a pain (having to ask someone else to do things for me regularly / having to be explicit about still BF etc). I really don't want this to shorten the length of time that I BF for though .

I'm not planning to express while at work, which simplifies things. That's an interesting point about work trips PenguinArmy, I hadn't thought about that. Would you mind tracking down the MSDS links for me?

I'm not exactly sure what my real worries are here... My employers carried out a risk assessment when I was pregnant and told me not to use chemical x. I said 'Oh yes, or chemical y.' (which they hadn't mentioned!), and they agreed. I also asked to see the risk assessment, but wasn't shown it (I know, I should have pushed to see it). I always worried a little about chemical z too, so I'd like to check out the info on it for myself.

The identities of all chemicals have been protected.

I'm afraid you need log in details but here are some links on here that have public access.

You want to look out reprotext/reprotox (latter is more succint) for reproductive effects. Also look out for genetic studies, although normally they have been done in rats.

I've always been on the network before so can't pm any login details as I don't have any