Risk assessment still not done?

[ethelfleda]

I am currently 20 weeks. Employer has known about pregnancy since 13 weeks. When I asked about the risk assessment, they said that I had to inform them in writing of the pregnancy first. But I can't do this until I get a MATB1 cert which my midwife can't give me until 24 weeks. Does that mean the assessment has t0 wait until then? I wouldn't normally push this but I have a colleague who sits behind me who has paper sprawled all over the floor which is a trip hazard. I have complained about it and they had a word with him but he just ignored them and carried on doing it. It's right in the path to the printer so an worried I (or someone else) might slip on it!
Thank you

[Fairy45]

You can just write a letter to say that you would like to officially inform them you are pregnant and that your edd is ..... if they are saying they need it in writing. Sounds a bit arsey of them and my employer did it as soon as i told them at 10 weeks (to give 2 weeks notice for my scan apt.) Ive never told them in writing nor have i ever needed to prove an appointment or anything but some employers just have procedures they need to adhere to. Like i say just write them a letter sign and date it.

[StupidSlimyGit]

I had to provide it in writing before they would do my risk assessment, I just did as fairy said and handed them a letter basically just saying that I was informing them I was pregnant and my EDD was . Manager got arsey because it meant she had to do the risk assessment before she wanted to but it meant it was done within a week.

[ArtemisiaGentilleschi]

Is this the man you had the shouting match with over politics?
Surely you just use your common sense? If you could trip over his papers and wires then so could anyone else who works there. I don't think you need wait for a RA for yourself in those circumstances. That sort of hazard should be on the general office RA. Ask the line manager to see it.

[ArtemisiaGentilleschi]

I think lots of line managers get arsey about RAs tbh.
They don't realise that effectively a RA is covering their arses!

[5moreminutes]

I worked in a school when I was pregnant with DC1 - the risk assessment was an utter joke, the member of the leadership team who did it just denied that any of the concerns I raised were in fact risks. and would only use her check box form which made it inevitable that the assessment would result in no action being required of the school.

I was unhappy about the three flights of stairs I had to go up and - more importantly - down at the same time as several hundred hurrying teenagers at the change of lessons, and wanted an arrangement to avoid going down for duty (for example doing a before school instead of break time duty) but tbh the stairs were a problem towards the end of my pregnancy anyway, especially as I had to carry sets of 30 books up and down them. There wasn't a lift at all.

I was also unhappy about the heat in my classroom - the windows didn't open for safety reasons and it was like working in a third floor green house with 30 hot, sweaty teenagers. Even when a pupil collapsed in my room and we had to call an ambulance senior management denied there was any risk.

Essentially I wanted to change classrooms for my last trimester, but was told I was being demanding and rocking the boat.

[ethelfleda]

5moreminutes this is the problem - I am afraid to 'rock the boat' so to speak.
But I will go along the letter route and provide the cert when I get one.

Artemisia that is not quite how it happened - he shouted at me after overhearing a conversation with a colleague and I was trying to defend myself. But yes, it is the same guy. I have used common sense and already mentioned it a number of times but nothing has been done. I was hoping that getting the company to do the RA would mean I wouldn't have to specifically mention this yet again... I'll only get his back up and probably get shouted at again and slagged off to other colleagues. I felt I could do without the additional stress to be honest.

[ethelfleda]

Ok so letter has been handed in. So fingers crossed! I have no idea how to pursue this if they just don't bother with the RA though!

[CatRash]

I go on maternity leave soon - I have 8 working days left - and they haven't done a risk assessment yet! Whoops!

I vaguely remember seeing on the HSE website that they don't have to do a specific risk assessment just because you're pregnant if they have appropriate risk assessments already in place - although I might have just made that up so happy to be corrected!!

The guy sitting behind you sounds like a right douche bag!!