Should I go to work tomorrow?

[NC1001]

Name changed.

Background: I’m a pharmacy technician working in community pharmacy. My role is a roving role, so I work at 30+ different pharmacies depending on where needs me. I’m 20 weeks pregnant. My employer hasn’t carried out a risk assessment yet.

I’ve asked to be based in a maximum of 3 branches at the moment. The one they have asked me be in most is out of convenience for them (they have a vacancy there to fill so short staffed) rather than concern for me. It’s a small branch, not able to socially distance but wearing face masks. Company procedure is that cleaning should be carried out 4 times a day minimum, and all staff should have their temperature taken on arrival. I’ve been there for the past 2 days, and have observed one brief instance of cleaning in that time and no temperatures taken. I raised it with the manager today whose response wasn’t very reassuring, and I doubt things will change tomorrow as I raised it at lunchtime today and he said nothing to the rest of the team all day. I have told head office about the issues and I was basically told to deal with it.

My issue now is, do I continue to work there tomorrow? Part of me wants to say that I don’t feel comfortable or safe working there until they can demonstrate that they are following covid procedures. I don’t feel like I should be put in a position where I’m the one enforcing this and being there whilst it’s still a work in progress. I know that the official guidance is that it’s only post 28 weeks pregnancy that you should WFH (NHS at least), but surely without a risk assessment having been carried out I shouldn’t be putting myself at extra risk regardless? I don’t want to be awkward but I do want to feel safe at work.

AIBU? What would you do?

You are making the right call op.

I’m one of these people who say everyone needs to crack on and learn to live with the virus. I’m not scared of catching it at all and have been happily going to work.

However, I have complete sympathy for any pregnant woman who doesn’t want to go out to work in this pandemic. We don’t know what effect it can have in foetuses. If I were pregnant, I don’t think I’d be leaving the house unless I absolutely had to.

@Fr0thandBubble I’ve been of exactly the same mindset up until this most recent lockdown. I’m in Scotland so this is only our second full lockdown. I wasn’t pregnant during the first. I would be a lot more understanding if they had said that they were putting me in a local, spacious, clean branch to ‘keep me safe’ but putting me in one half an hour away, that’s too small to socially distance and who don’t follow any procedures is not keeping me safe at all.

@NC1001 Yes don’t do it! These are unprecedented times and no one would blame you for saying no. If I were you I’d be asking to work from home for the rest of your pregnancy, regardless of what safety procedures they have put in place.

The cleaning in our office is done by us, with Clinel wipes. Lead by example and make sure there is a packet of Clinel by every phone and computer. Wipe them done between any change of user. You need to email your line manager and copy in her manager and say you are not prepared to work until a risk assessment has been completed and a plan made to minimise your risk.