Teachers, what did your risk assessment look like?

[Allthehabum]

Has anybody had theirs yet? If so, I'm interested to see what was said about Covid risks in particular. I'm double vaccinated but more than 6 months ago now, and I also have another underlying condition. Obviously, now with no masks and Delta, it feels quite risky, but I am not sure what is reasonably considered a risk, since we have to be back in work now?

Has anyone been through this?

I got asked what my covid plan was (er not to catch it?) And was told its up to me to wear and mask and wash my hands.. I was not impressed! My partner works for the NHS though so I am constantly exposed (I teach secondary)

Sounds comprehensive! The mask thing annoys me, as we have been told from the start that masks only protect the wearer if everyone is wearing one!

I will look forward to my own comprehensive risk assessment then

So risk assessment at 28weeks was they offered to provide PPE, keep windows open & keep 2m away from children. Don't go into busy corridors and won't be called for cover.

@roseandsalvia Interested to know what PPE they offered to provide?

Personally I'd be looking to work from home for the latter part of 3rd trimester.

Mask and or visor - I declined but I got the impression they would have provided whatever I wanted. No option to wfh. At the time I was unvaccinated (due to age) and taught several students who went on to test positive, so I do think that good ventilation and keeping distance are helpful.

I was allowed to do the following:
-no cover lessons
-remain at front of class
-no in person meetings
-wfh during free periods

• could teach via teams from home if I wanted to with cover supervisor in lesson ( I didn't as couldn't fathom the logic in practice)

-no duties -no assemblies -remain at front of room at all times -be in a well ventilated class at all times (with rooms changes as necessary) -use of private offices/empty classrooms to work during frees if I wanted to be in school -students to remain at least 2m from me -go to toilet whenever I wanted to avoid lesson changeover with people in corridors -dismiss lesson slightly early to avoid corridor congestion

I work in a primary school and have to work from home, the LA in my area have said all pregnant women 28 weeks and over need to work from home, or be suspended on full pay as covid cases are high in our area regardless if they’ve had the vaccine or not

Mine is wfh from 28 weeks and I think that's pretty standard. My midwife told me at the first appointment and then school brought it up without me having to. Schools are high risk for Covid and we shouldn't be going into high risk workplaces in the third trimester.

Where is your LA?

@Soph30 I'm interested to know this too, as far as I know mine have said nothing!

@Exmoorkatie86 South Wales

Ah right. I very much doubt any English LAs will follow suit but I can hope!!

I was off from 28 weeks as a primary teacher. School have said they can't remove the risk so it's WFH. This for me was only a week before summer holidays, and I've just started mat leave at 36 weeks. Section booked for 38+5 and happy with this as don't want to work from home. I'm Hampshire LA.

Does anyone have any experience of this as a TA? I have a risk assessment tomorrow and have no idea what to expect but really concerned.

@Hagridsbeard25 the same risks apply to you as they would a teacher. They should let you work from home or be off on full pay. Have a look at pregnant then screwed on Instagram. It’s very informative and will even give you a template to email your boss about covid and 28 weeks working from home xx

Not a teacher I'm a nurse and I've been doubled vaxxed. Been told that I'm expected to look after covid patients until I go maternity leave. Apparently the guidelines have changed back to 'normal' for pregnant women as long as theyve had both...

@AliceS1994 They can't be serious? Surely they could move you to another ward where you're not in contact with Covid patients? How do you feel about that?

@AliceS1994 that’s awful! Have a look at this website; pregnantthenscrewed.com/covid-19/pregnant-rights-during-covid-19/
“ An employer must, by law, make your workplace safe for you. This legal duty predates Covid. And it means that they should alter your working conditions or hours in order to reduce any risk to you. They should demonstrate how they will do this through a risk assessment that considers the risk of infectious diseases, amongst other things.” Things definitely haven’t changed for pregnant women. On that website there is an email you can send your employer. It was written by employment lawyers x

Gutted to be honest. I work in central London so commuting on a very busy tube line for 1 hr with people no longer wearing masks which also worries me as mucha as working in hospital when I at least have some protection from PPE. I have seen the policy from OH and it is written clear as day that double vaxxed staff can work full normal duties, no way to contest it. I don't actually work directly with covid patients currently (though have been moved to those wards many times during previous waves) but community levels are so high that we are seeing regular patients come in and be coincidentally positive...

Mine was only done - I think - because I requested it. Mentioned Covid and told not to stand in corridors during changeovers. Still expected to do duty and attend staff meetings/assembly in packed halls. I'm currently double vaxxed but will need my booster part way through third trimester. I started off wearing a mask, but what is the point when nobody else around me is. I'm still expected to do parents' evenings. None of it is helping my anxiety, which has been sky high for a while now.

@AliceS1994 it sounds like your workplace could definitely be doing more to protect you for your 3rd trimester. Ask them if they are prepared to put in writing that they accept liability for any covid related complications and they may change their tune! Definitely speak to your trade union for support in getting a proper risk assessment in place

“The mask thing annoys me, as we have been told from the start that masks only protect the wearer if everyone is wearing one!”

This is definitely not what happened unless history really is being rewritten 1984 style. We were told from that start that there was no benefit to masks in the community. Then they were worried that no-one was going to go to back to shops etc as we’d all been petrified by propaganda, so in came the “face coverings” several months later, in order to restore confidence. There’s still no evidence it makes any difference.

Proper PPE protects the wearer. I suggest you wear an N95 mask, visor and apron, all day if you want to be “safe” rather than worry about anyone else.

I’m nearly 37 weeks and pretty much they seem open to suggestions but no offer to wfh, which was in place for third tri women before the summer holidays, but with the new no shielding guidance from the summer, it’s fair enough. Also, any midwife I have spoken to has not suggested that I need to wfh, which I know they were doing for 3rd tri a few months back.

I don’t have a TT as my mat cover has already started and do have a leadership role so there’s enough for me to be getting on with. I am taking my own device in and sitting away from pupils as much as I can.

On RA :
No duties
Not attend full staff meetings
Stay for evening events but not do any Face to face with public

And then the rest is just down to me. I am trying where possible to stay away from kids/staff on corridors. I’ve chose not to wear a mask as no body else in the building is, so it feels futile.

I am definitely apprehensive however, being double jabbed is a huge relief but with the isolation rules for household (or lack of!), it does feel that schools are a bit of a ticking time bomb. I know I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as a child whose sibling/parent tested positive the day before etc, or work alongside staff in that position.

When is everyone planning to start mat leave? I planned to work to 40 weeks but frustratingly now I feel I need to stop 2 weeks before for the only reason of mitigating the risk of me catching covid too close to giving birth.

@SweetBabyCheeses99 You are talking absolute bullshit. There is plenty of research to show that it makes a difference when everybody wears a mask, and a visor and apron don't do a damn thing unless you are actually close up and sharing bodily fluids with people. The main threat as a teacher is the aerosol transmission.

And regarding ffP3, you do realise that it doesn't work unless actually fitted? There needs to be no gaps at all, otherwise they just work like normal masks. The ones you can buy for cheap therefore don't protect you. Even if I could afford the proper medical grade ones (which you can only buy in bulk if you are a medical company), I have yet to find one that fits me as a very small woman. Children's ones are too small.

By the way, you sound like a pretty horrible person. Given that research shows that pregnant women and their unborn children are at higher risk of Covid, and teachers are key workers who need to work with unvaccinated groups, it's a pretty reasonable desire to want to protect yourself and your unborn child. If you feel differently then fine, but don't condescend others who do, and protecting yourself and your child is a pretty normal and healthy human response.