Reproductive Wellness at Risk for U.S. Workers..

Confessions of a SAFE-AHOLIC, By: Stephanie Zizzo, ASHM

The other day I was reading an article in the Safety & Health magazine called “Harmful Exposure”, by Deidre Bello. This article in particular caught my attention instantly because of 4 words... reproductive health and safety professional. According to the CDC, there is a decrease in fertility among U.S. Couples. Many studies report that an explanation for this is linked to workplace hazardous chemicals.

The Facts for Over-Exposure According to NIOSH are:

1. In men, lead can lower your sperm count, give your sperm abnormal shape, alter your sperm transfer, and change your hormones and sexual performance.
2. In women, lead can cause infertility, miscarriages, low birth weight, and developmental disorders. (Potential exposure in welders, home re-modelers)
3. For men, welding can lower your sperm count and cause abnormal sperm shape.
4. For women, ionizing radiation can cause infertility, miscarriages, low birth weight, developmental disorders, and childhood cancer. (Potential exposure in health care staff, dental personnel, and atomic workers)

These are just a few of the ways that hazardous conditions can harm your reproductive health. Scary, huh?

Important Components

• Currently, OSHA does not have specific standards for governing reproductive hazards (Bello).
• There is a lack of research to show exact direct effects from hazardous agents, but both employers and employees can do their part to guard themselves against the “what if” (Bello).
• The safety professional should take part in making sure that there is proper training in place to rise awareness about reproductive hazards (Bello).

Summit Training Source offers many programs covering welding safety, lead safety, and many other topics that can help keep your hazard awareness up-to-date. Check it out here!

Source: Bello, Deidre. “Harmful Exposure”. Safety & Health. Vol. 184 NO.2. August 2011.