to want to complain to my bosses about my pregnancy risk assessment?

[erised]

I'm currently 17+3 weeks pregnant with a high risk pregnancy due to high blood pressure, risk of pre-eclampsia plus I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which causes my joints to dislocate and causes severe pain which is made worse in pregnancy. I had my risk assessment done at 11 weeks by my manager who said I can no longer be the only management on duty due to the nature of the job. I'm a store supervisor and it involves dealing with angry and sometimes violent customers (example: in the summer we had a customer smash our till up and attack us with it...) and also other stressful situations.

My problem is that my manager (the one who did my assessment) calls in sick A LOT and has left me to run the store by myself quite a few times now even though she's fully aware of my situation. This has led to me not wanting to be scheduled to work with her alone anymore as I have no idea if she will actually turn up. It's also led to me being very stressed out.

AIBU to want to send a complaint/email to my bosses requesting them to tell her that I'm no longer to be scheduled to work with her alone anymore? One of them is already aware of a couple of times she has left me by myself.

I'm not sure what else to do and I'm scared for the health of my baby.

Bump

Congrats on your pregnancy

I'd email to ask for a discussion about your concerns rather than starting off with a complaint. I'd discuss what your concerns are and then take it from there, i'd only complain if the people you speak to don't take it seriously. Seems better to approach it like that initially to get them onside and make some small adjustments?

Of course, I wouldn't lodge a full complaint. Just an email stating why I don't feel comfortable working with this person anymore and if they can make sure the work rota has me working with other members of management too.

Hello OP must admit I'm confused.. Why do you want to complain to your boss about your pregnancy RA?
Do you not agree with the recommendations?
You need a calm discussion. Why not just email your more senior boss and boss asking what they want you to other shop staff to do if the recommendation is not met (ie no other management on duty). As you will not be able to deal with angry/violent customers and walk away how do they expect it to be covered.

Sorry for the typos but I agree with sun.
They are trying to help you but obviously it isn't working as well as could in practice

You're not complaining about the risk assessment - you're complaining about the failure to put in place the safeguards which came out of the risk assessment.

And yes, you do need to complain. Under H&S if they are failing to act on the recommendations of their own risk assessment and something goes wrong which could have been reduced or prevented by them following the recommendations, then legally they are in the shit.

@happytoday73 I do agree with the recommendations but they are not being followed. One of my bosses is aware that I have been left and all I got was "I'm sorry this has happened". "Complain" was the wrong word to use. I do have an email typed out asking my senior bosses to have a discussion with my manager (manager does the work rota) telling her to no longer only put me and her working alone on the same days and for there to be a 3rd member of management on duty as well.

On the days I have been left, the bosses have been made aware and I am to just carry on with my day.

Any other input would be appreciated.

I would write an email saying that the risk management plan isn’t working because you were the only manager on shift on and ask them to review it and put additional mitigation’s in place.

You could make a suggestion of what those mitigation’s might be - if you can come up with more than one that might help it sound less like complaining about your managers sickness absence. Rather than point out that manager in particular, perhaps word it as a suggestion of not being scheduled on the same shift as managers who are known to be dealing with a medical or other issue that might mean they are unavailable to work at short notice. Another suggestion could be that a manager needs to be on standby to cover any absences by the second manager.

I think you need to make it clear that if you are due to work with her (or anyone else who doesn’t turn up) and it means you will end up in a situation working alone, that the store does not get opened that day. Otherwise they need to look to find two other managers to have on duty and give you a different role (with the same pay etc) so that you aren’t in a situation of managing alone.

Btw I would also start that email thanking them for doing the risk assessment and how much you appreciate them working to keep you safe, and end it with a thank you for their continued support with this matter. Keep everything nice and positive - I’ve found that really helps with getting your point across without sounding like a winger/trouble maker (also referencing the failing risk assessment in writing should make them act).