Pregnant employees who are to work with chemicals must carry out a risk assessment of potential exposure together with their leader.
The pregnant employee must thoroughly familiarise themselves with the chemicals they will be working with. What hazards and inherent properties do the chemicals possess? The chemical inventory, EcoOnline, provides an overview of chemicals that pregnant or breastfeeding employees, or those planning to have children, must not be exposed to.
Chemicals can enter the bloodstream through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation, and may subsequently pass into the foetus's bloodstream or be absorbed into breast milk.
Pregnant employees must not be exposed to gases or chemicals that can cause harm to the foetus (H360, H361, H362).
Particular attention must be given to chemicals labelled with the following hazard statements:
| Hazard code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H340 | May cause genetic damage |
| H341 | Suspected of causing genetic damage |
| H350 | May cause cancer |
| H350i | May cause cancer by inhalation |
| H351 | Suspected of causing cancer |
| H360 | May damage fertility or cause harm to the foetus |
| H361 | Suspected of damaging fertility or causing harm to the foetus |
| H362 | May harm children through breastfeeding |
| H370 | Causes organ damage |
| H371 | May cause organ damage |
| H372 | Causes organ damage through prolonged or repeated exposure |
| H373 | May cause organ damage through prolonged or repeated exposure |
Be aware of chemicals classified as toxic or highly toxic, even if they are not specifically classified concerning pregnant or breastfeeding individuals. Pregnant employees must not be exposed to cytostatics, as these substances can cause harm to the foetus. Endocrine-disrupting substances can also harm foetal development.
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (in Norwegian) lists the following chemical substances that may be harmful to pregnant individuals or those planning to conceive:
- Herbicides and insecticides
- Medicinal substances, such as anaesthetic gases, cytostatics, and ethylene oxide
- Organic solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, certain glycol ethers, and white spirit
- Metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and manganese, many of which remain in the body for a long time
- Rubber and plastic raw materials, such as vinyl chloride, styrene, acrylates, formaldehyde, and chloroprene
- Toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, and hydrocyanic acid
- Carcinogenic substances