Reproductive Hazards at Work
Some workplace exposures can affect the ability to have children, harm a pregnancy, or be carried home to family. These hazards affect men as well as women, and some do the most harm before a person knows they or their partner are pregnant.
- Construction
- General Industry
Common reproductive hazards
| Hazard | Where | Possible effects |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | Old paint removal, welding or cutting painted steel, plumbing, batteries | Lower sperm count, miscarriage, harm to the developing baby’s brain |
| Some solvents | Degreasers, paints, adhesives, coatings | Fertility problems, miscarriage, birth defects (varies by chemical) |
| Some pesticides | Agriculture, landscaping, pest control | Fertility and pregnancy effects |
| Ionizing radiation | Industrial radiography, some medical and nuclear work | Fertility effects, harm to the fetus |
| Heat | Hot jobs, furnaces, summer outdoor work | Lower sperm production; higher strain during pregnancy |
| Physical demands | Heavy lifting, long standing, long hours | Higher risk of some pregnancy complications |
| Carbon monoxide | Fuel-burning equipment indoors | Harm to the fetus |
Find out what you work with
- Check Safety Data Sheets, Section 2 and Section 11, for statements like “May damage fertility or the unborn child.” See Safety Data Sheets.
- Ask about exposure monitoring results; you have a right to see them.
- Talk to your doctor about your job, ideally before trying to have a child.
Reduce exposure
- Use safer substitutes, ventilation and wet methods first; PPE when still needed.
- Wash before eating and before going home; change out of work clothes and boots. See Take-Home Contamination.
- Get blood lead testing if you work with lead. See Lead.
- Take heat precautions seriously. See Heat Illness.
Pregnancy at work
The federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related limitations, such as temporary reassignment away from chemical exposure, lifting limits, more breaks or water. Employers can’t force you onto leave if another accommodation works. See Pregnant Workers’ Rights.
Employers can’t exclude women from jobs just because of possible reproductive hazards. The Supreme Court held such “fetal protection” policies illegal. The answer is to control the hazard for everyone.
Standards & references
Last updated: