Exposure to harmful chemicals before pregnancy could exist in the body long enough to harm a foetus. Female workers of child bearing age are strongly advised to show sensibility in the handling of all chemicals. This is a very potent solvent and, while no clear carcinogenic effect has been described for it, it is frequently used to dissolve carcinogens. It can also penetrate the skin very rapidly, carrying with it any substance which may be dissolved in it. It can also penetrate rubber gloves and should be used with polythene gloves, which have an outer latex layer to give better grip.
All suspect carcinogens are suspect teratogens.
Flammability Flammable substances cause many fires and explosions every year, which are avoidable if simple precautions are taken. Not all concentrations of a flammable vapour in air are flammable. For each vapour, there is a concentration below which and above which propagation of a flame will not occur. This is only partially true, however, as most of these solvents give concentrations of vapour in the flammable range at room temperature. C enough diethyl ether will evaporate to be ignitable.