CSULB
RADIATION SAFETY
REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTH POLICY
Male
or female, you should never work with a chemical or radioactive material
without knowing how it may affect the reproductive system, and the length of time
the material could remain in your body if ingested, inhaled or absorbed. The use of some agents should be stopped well
in advance of conception. The following
website from the International Labor Association provides information regarding
when and how reproductive damage occurs, what kinds
of reproductive health problems can occur, how a worker can tell if a
chemical/work situation is hazardous to reproductive health, how workers are
protected etc.: http://www.itcilo.it/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/osh/rep/prod.htm
If
you are concerned about reproductive health, or you become pregnant, you should
consult your physician regarding the evaluation of workplace hazards
with respect to fetal health/fertility etc. You would be able
to better discuss these issues with your physician if you provide
her/him with specific information regarding your work e.g. details regarding
specific chemical/radioactive identities of any hazardous substances to which
you may be exposed, potential radiation exposures, etc. Your physician
might find it helpful to also be informed of your standard operating
procedures; for example, if you use chemicals you could discuss your use
of personal protective equipment (gloves, no exposed skin, labcoat,
goggles), engineering controls (fume hood use, local/supplemental
ventilation etc.), frequency of exposure, average length of exposure, etc.
You
may find the following materials helpful, all available from CNSM Safety:
Please
feel free to contact your supervisor, CNSM Safety, Chemistry/Biochemistry
Laboratory Manager Joyce Kunishima, or Campus SRM
with any further requests for information required by you or your
physician regarding reproductive hazards in the workplace.
With
respect to a dose by radioactive material to a fetus:
In compliance with 10 CFR part 20,
section 20.1208, "Dose to an embryo/fetus", every effort shall be
made to ensure that the dose to an embryo/fetus during the entire pregnancy of
a declared pregnant woman does not exceed 0.5 rem (5 mSv)1.
It is the responsibility of each
Authorized Radioisotope User to:
a)
Distribute this policy to all students and employees in your group.
b)
Obtain signed confirmation on your radiation training record (see
Radiation Notebook) that this policy has been read by each person under your
supervision.
c)
Encourage early disclosure (intent, fact, or suspicion) of pregnancy to
the Authorized Radioisotope User and/or Radiation Safety Office personnel. Assure the student/employee that this
disclosure will remain confidential.
d)
Notify the Radiation Safety Office immediately upon receiving
information regarding a student/employee's declared intent, suspicion or
confirmation of pregnancy.
e)
Advise students/employees of their personal responsibilities with regard
to limiting their exposure to radiation while pregnant (see below).
f)
Review student/employee work assignments in order to reduce the
potential of radiation exposures where possible.
g)
Ensure that pregnant students/employees receive a monthly film badge if
she uses radioactive materials or works near radioactive materials. The student/employee must wear the badge at
waist level.
It is the responsibility of the Radiation
Safety Office to:
a)
Monitor the dose accumulated by the student/employee and the fetus. The dose to an embryo/fetus shall be
determined according to 10 CFR part 20, section
20.12081, and the NRC Regulatory Guide 8.36, "Radiation
Dose to the Embryo/Fetus"2.
b)
Work with the student/employee and the Authorized Radioisotope User to
endeavor to reduce radiation exposure to background readings if any monthly
dose exceeds 50 mR (0.5 mSv). If the accumulated dose approaches a total of
500 mR (5 mSv), or exceeds
300 mR (3 mSv) within six
months, transfer or leave from the area of exposure is mandatory.
It is the responsibility of each female
employee to:
Inform the Authorized Radioisotope User,
HEERA Manager and/or the Radiation Safety Office of your intent, suspicion or
confirmation of pregnancy. RSO personnel
will determine whether radiation levels in your working areas are such that you
might receive 0.5 rem (5 mSv) or more over the gestational period. You must decide whether the exposure you are
receiving is sufficiently low to protect the fetus; you are welcome to review
the literature the Radiation Safety Office has available on this topic. If you decide to continue working in these
areas, you must work with your supervisor and RSO personnel to reduce your
exposure by increasing your use of shielding, and by decreasing both your
distance from the radiation source and the amount of time you spend in the
radiation area.
The alternatives that you might want to
consider are:
a)
You could decide not to accept or continue assignments in these areas at
this time.
According to the Memoranda of
Understanding for both staff and faculty, the CSU shall endeavor to ensure that
employees will not be required to work in unsafe conditions or to perform tasks
that endanger their health or safety. An
employee may request a temporary reassignment when she/he believes in good
faith that the present assignment presents a clear danger to her/his health and
safety; the appropriate administrator shall promptly respond to such a request4,5.
Similarly, the Foundation will attempt to do everything within its
control to assure a safe environment and compliance with federal, state, and
local safety regulations6.
b)
You could consider delaying conception.
Please consider the following:
The National Council on Radiation
Protection (NCRP) recommends a total dose equivalent limit of
0.5 rem (5 mSv) for the
fetus. Once a pregnancy becomes
known, exposure of the embryo/fetus shall be not greater than 50 mR (0.5 mSv) in any month. The total dose equivalent limit for the whole
period of pregnancy is important for the limitation of the risk of cancer
induction and of developmental anomalies, while the monthly limit is important
to ensure that exposures of the embryo-fetus during particularly critical
periods of organogenesis and development are adequately restricted. The United Nations Scientific Committee on
the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) indicates that for doses smaller than
2 rem (0.02Sv) over the gestation period, the risk
for defects is relatively small in relation to the natural incidence or
probability, which is assumed to be of the order of 6 x 10-2
for anomalies of all kinds that may seriously affect health and viability of
newborn children (NCRP Report No. 91; June 1987.)3
1 Federal Register, Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. 10 CFR Part 20,
"Standards for Protection Against Radiation". January 1993.
2
3 National Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurements. NCRP Report No. 91,
"Recommendations on Limits for Exposure to Ionizing Radiation". June 1, 1987.
4 Agreement Between the Board of Trustees of The
5 Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the
6
Section 501,
"Safety". ReproductiveHlthPcy.9.04.doc