If an employee tells you that she is pregnant, you have certain additional health and safety responsibilities towards her. Pregnancy is a part of normal everyday life, not an illness. Many women work during pregnancy and return to work while they are breastfeeding. In the workplace there may be hazards which affect the health of the woman or the developing child and the Pregnant Employees Regulations of 2007 has been enacted to provide specific protection.
Employee’s Responsibilities
An employee must inform their employer that they are pregnant and provide the appropriate medical certificate stating their condition. She may choose to inform her employer through her supervisor or by having a doctor directly contact the employer. As the earliest stages of pregnancy are the most critical for the developing child, it is in the employee’s interest to let her employer know she is pregnant as soon as possible.
Employer’s Responsibilities
Pregnancy often goes undetected for the first 4-6 weeks, therefore generic risk assessments covering the work activities carried out by women of child bearing age should be undertaken by the company. Health and safety legislation requires that specific risk assessments are carried out for new and expectant mothers.
Where a risk to a pregnant employee or the foetus is identified, every action possible should be taken to remove the risk. In the event that the risk cannot be removed then the employee’s working conditions or hours should be altered or the employee relocated to a job that is free from such risks. In the event that neither course of action is possible then the employee should be granted health and safety leave.
Control Measures
Once notified of a pregnancy, specific risk assessment relating to the pregnant worker’s work tasks should be carried out. These should be discussed with her and any alterations necessary to her work schedule agreed. The risk assessment should be reviewed on a regular basis during the pregnancy.
Working conditions may be altered in numerous ways, for example by:
- providing the opportunity to alternate between sitting and standing positions or provide rest breaks;
- supplying lifting equipment to reduce manual handling;
- restricting or re-allocating duties so that heavy objects are not lifted by new or expectant mothers;
- introducing control measures such as physical containment, hygiene practices and vaccination to protect against biological hazards; and
- excluding new and expectant mothers from the workplace or relocating them so that they are not exposed to infectious biological agents or harmful substances.
- Reviewing working hours or shift patterns to reduce risk.
Whist pregnant employees is a common occurrence, many businesses do not have any policies or procedures in place to deal with any issues which may occur. If you need advice on how to carry out the assessment or any other factors contact us on
01 855 5050
