\nPractical steps such as limiting noise exposure, adjusting work duties and providing safe spaces for milk expression are effective ways to protect pregnant and breastfeeding women in the workplace. Courtesy of Adobe Stock. <\/p>\n
Workplace safety standards in mining often overlook the needs of\u00a0pregnant and breastfeeding workers, putting both employees and their children at risk.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the latest episode of\u00a0the\u00a0CIM Health & Safety Society\u2019s\u00a0Safety Share\u00a0webinar\u00a0series, held March 19, Courtney Gendron, lead health, safety and environment consultant at WSP, shared the challenges\u00a0she has faced in assessing risks for women in mining.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a background in industrial hygiene, Gendron explained that limited data on hazards affecting pregnant and breastfeeding workers, combined with the reliance on the \u201creference man\u201d\u2014a standard based on a young, healthy, Caucasian male\u2014makes it difficult to ensure\u00a0appropriate protection\u00a0and\u00a0safety for women in\u00a0mining.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pregnant women deviate from this standard, with changes such as elevated heart rate, altered metabolism and immune function, and increased respiratory depth. Gendron added that biological sex differences can also affect susceptibility to diseases, as well as their diagnosis and treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She emphasized the importance of including women in research, especially in male-dominated industries like mining, where women have historically been excluded and study opportunities are limited.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if there’s only an opportunity to include a few women, [we should] do so and disaggregate the results by sex,\u201d Gendron said. \u201cIf we can compile reviews going forward, we can use the data from different studies and come up with the difference in how they might apply to men and women.\u201d\u00a0Understanding reproductive hazards\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gendron\u00a0highlighted some\u00a0different\u00a0types\u00a0of\u00a0reproductive hazards\u2014agents that can adversely affect the reproductive health of women and men and\/or negatively\u00a0impact\u00a0fetal growth and development. These include teratogens (agents that interfere with normal fetal development and can cause birth defects), mutagens (agents that\u00a0can\u00a0damage DNA), and carcinogens (agents that can cause cancer, which may also affect rapidly dividing fetal cells).\u00a0Some examples of the most common hazards\u00a0found\u00a0on mine sites\u00a0include noise, heat stress, whole-body\u00a0vibration\u00a0and\u00a0lead\u00a0exposure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One\u00a0example\u00a0Gendron\u00a0honed in on\u00a0was noise, noting that low-frequency or sudden loud sounds can affect fetal development, potentially\u00a0causing\u00a0hearing loss\u00a0and low birth weight, while increasing pregnancy-induced hypertension in mothers. To reduce these risks, after the fifth month of pregnancy, mothers should avoid\u00a0continuous exposure (over eight hours) to 115 decibels or peak exposures of 155 decibels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gendron advised consulting the safety data sheets, which are part of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), and reviewing health hazard classes for substances labelled as reproductive toxins, germ cell mutagens, or carcinogens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really good\u00a0step to do before you even have a pregnant or breastfeeding woman on site,\u201d she said. She added that keeping a comprehensive list of all hazards on hand can help\u00a0designate\u00a0risks and\u00a0help\u00a0companies\u00a0to\u00a0\u201cbe ahead of the game and proactive about making your workers aware, but also as a health and safety professional, you\u2019ll be aware where your reproductive hazards lie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two key resources\u00a0Gendron\u00a0recommended\u00a0for learning more about reproductive hazards\u00a0include\u00a0the \u201cGuide to Healthy Pregnancies in the Mining Workplace<\/a>\u201d from Laurentian University and Workplace Safety North, as well as\u00a0the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health\u2019s\u00a0webpage<\/a>\u00a0about reproductive health in the workplace.\u00a0Support\u00a0for\u00a0employees\u00a0<\/p>\n Gendron noted that, for many women in mining, workplace culture around pregnancy\u00a0remains\u00a0a significant challenge, including discriminatory bias that can affect career advancement.\u00a0She added that expectations around parental leave, particularly\u00a0for\u00a0women\u00a0who wish to take\u00a0more leave\u00a0than what the company policy\u00a0allocates, can further influence how they are assigned to\u00a0projects or roles.\u00a0<\/p>\n Given these challenges, she emphasized that careful planning and early consultation with healthcare providers and on-site medical services can help women manage both their health and work responsibilities. While the timing of pregnancy disclosure to an employer is\u00a0ultimately a\u00a0personal decision,\u00a0Gendron\u00a0recommended discussing job duties and potential exposures early, especially during rapid fetal development or even prior to conception, to take precautions and prepare for\u00a0possible complications\u00a0such as miscarriage.\u00a0<\/p>\n Protective reassignment, which involves the temporary adjustment of a worker\u2019s duties or placement to minimize exposure to workplace hazards,\u00a0can be an important form of support.\u00a0Gendron noted that\u00a0when workers inform their employer that they are pregnant or nursing, they can work together to explore options and make reasonable adjustments to duties\u00a0to ensure safety\u00a0for both parent and child.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n For breastfeeding women working on-site, an essential accommodation\u00a0would\u00a0involve\u00a0providing a flexible schedule for pumping and a safe, convenient place to store breast milk.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gendron\u00a0emphasized that parental leave\u00a0policies\u00a0also\u00a0have a major impact on\u00a0retaining\u00a0women in mining, highlighting the importance of adequate\u00a0paid leave and the value of encouraging\u00a0paternity leave\u00a0as an equally supported\u00a0option.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[Paternity leave] is\u00a0actually really\u00a0important because whenever the non-birthing\u00a0parent stays home with the child, it really helps with the division of unpaid\u00a0labour,\u201d Gendron explained. \u201cA lot of the time, if that happens, they can help a lot more with household chores and unpaid childcare\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Other forms of support for pregnant and breastfeeding workers could involve providing training and awareness at every organizational level, ensuring access to\u00a0appropriate facilities\u00a0and personal protective equipment, and having leadership actively support and promote discussions about reproductive health and safety in the workplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n