Work risk assessment

[Fet2021duejuly2022]

Hi all,

I’ve asked work for a risk assessment as I’m 7 weeks pregnant. What sort of things should I ask to be included in it?

I was thinking obviously covid as pregnant woman are at higher risk. So my travel such as public transport and work environment to be looked at.

Carrying my work laptop about everywhere (hybrid working so no longer have a desk)

I’d be interested to know what other people included in theirs.

Thanks so much 😌

Also I was going to add in nausea especially mornings

I remember with DD mine included would I need assistance getting down the stairs in the event of a fire alarm (I don’t work there any more but we were on a very high floor), and they did an updated desk assessment - checking posture, chair position, gave me a foot rest.
With my current pregnancy, they’ve done the same (I’m at a different company now), plus have offered me a wheelie laptop case as we now do hybrid working and the office is only really accessible through public transport so it was to avoid me carrying a heavy bag around.

@SickAndTiredAgainThank you that’s really helpful. Did they include covid in your current risk assessment?

I'm a health care support worker at my local nhs hospital. The work I do is very strenuous and heavy, more so as I'm a tall lass.

Told my manager i was pregnant when I was 7 weeks. It didn't get completed until I was just over 18 weeks, in that time I'd been pulled to the floor and physically assaulted by patients. I asked her so many times to complete it for me and it was just swept under the rug.

29 weeks now, and I've practically demanded that I be moved to a different area or be made non patient facing. Again my manager took the p*ss, so I went higher and will be starting new role from Tuesday away from wards. 6 weeks then I start maternity!

Good luck with everything!!!

@Mae2020 I'm so sorry you went through all of that. It’s absolutely appalling that your work took so long to do a risk assessment- that’s actually not right at all! It’s terrible to hear how companies take this piss and ignore employment law and maternity rights.

Your WRA should be updated as your condition changes. It should reflect what you're experiencing at that time, not expect you to predict what might be coming.

The most important thing to ask for IMO is regular review & set a date for the next one.

@GroggyLegs thank you for the advice I will do that

Bump 🥰

Worth asking for advice from your trade union about what sorts of things should be included for your type of workplace

@SouthwestSis thank you I didn’t think of that I will contact my rep

I work in an office with a stock room down stairs (i work for a fire company so hundreds of fire extinguishers everywhere).

I was advised not to lift anything at all, stand up & walk around to get away from my pc for 10 mins every hour, not spend too much time in stockroom, not allowed to change water bottle on the cooler and looked at the position of my pc, offered a different chair if needed and not to walk up/down the stairs to often.

This is really useful due mine this week too. I’m 16 weeks and have been working from home for past 18months but likely to return to the office in January.
It’s an about 50 min car journey which before wasn’t an issue but not looking forward to the longer days now 😬 Line manager doesn’t hasn’t managed anyone whose been pregnant and it’s my first time.
Thanks for the useful tips and deffo will mention the review.

@Orangessunshine hope your back to the office goes well and that your risk assessment is done swiftly

@mrscotton thank you. Some useful things for me to think about

Interesting article in the guardian today www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/02/pregnant-women-fear-losing-jobs-over-covid-safety-worries-survey-finds

Really depends on the nature of your job? Mine included working at heights, use of scaffolds, use of ladders etc. being on feet without a break/access to chair, stopping long journeys on planes,trains,cars as could regularly drive 8 hours per day, ensuring I had proper food/water breaks but I was having twins during the lockdowns. Additional covid measures included I wasnt allowed to meetings with more than a certain number of participants, outdoors I had to continue wearing a mask even when the mask wearing restriction was reduced,
I wouldn't have said carrying a laptop as a risk assessment they aren't exactly heavy.....plus you probably carry things heavier than that regularly at home 😁

Yes I wouldn't say carrying a laptop either is too much of a risk 😅 I had to have a desk chair posture check. I could choose not to do client facing work from the 3rd trimester. The new rules post vaccines were we worked in the office all trimesters, but with the new variants and winter coming in, we have had this adjusted and been told this week we can work from home in third trimester when the risks are increased.

Travel times into work - we were allowed to flex our hours to avoid peak commuting. So work 10am til 6pm or 8am til 4 pm for example.

Yes I think laptops are probably overkill I won’t mention that 🤣

I do actually work with ladders, hadn’t thought to mention it

@Fet2021duejuly2022 it's so hard though, some of the scary advice you read initially says not to carry ANYTHING. First trimester I was almost scared to carry the vacuum cleaner around 😂 Third trimester now and I'm back at the gym and doing (lighter than usual) weights.

And yeah my work risk assessment was pretty rubbish, so good you're asking. Hopefully yours will be more detailed than mine

That’s true, I’ve done Ivf too and they say not to lift anything at all in the leaflet they gave me. I’d really like to start exercising soon but not sure when I’ll feel safe doing that.

Ive just found out I’ve got a subchorionic hematoma so I’m feeling a bit more worried about exerting myself too much

@Fet2021duejuly2022 I had that too until about 9 weeks, definitely rest up. It's scary and stressful to see spotting etc. There's no hurry to get back to working out, there's plenty of time. I did pelvic rest and just walking for the whole of my 1st trimester, until it couldn't be seen in scans anymore and I hadn't had any blood for a while.

Take care of yourself, and hope the SH goes away soon

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thank you for the advice. I’m glad you’re ok 🥰

How did your risk assessment go? I'm still chasing one at my work.

Never had one, but I work at a desk

My experience at work has been disappointing. Lots written in it about how they would reduce risk but not actually done. I also don’t see how a company who has something to gain from you working in the office on normal duties can complete a risk assessment in a non biased way. I didn’t agree with things put in my risk assessment, I felt they were taking increased risk with my baby that I wouldn’t have done (e.g. yes we still need you to come into work, yet be non patient facing to reduce risk but have the world and their aunt traipsing through the surgery for their Covid vaccines putting me at increased risk). I’ve also been told I should avoid being in the corridors at work at times that patients are in, should only be out there between 12 and 2pm, yet guess where the only staff loo is situated