My job involves alot of heavy lifting what would my rights be if pregnant

[lostittoday]

Hi

I currently work nightshifts in a nursing home.
My job is very heavy work and requires alot of bending and stretching.

I am ttc atm but I have concerns as to what my position at work would be if I became pregnant.

There is three of us on duty 2 carers and a trained nurse.

I work as a carer and it is myself and the other carer who do all of the physical side of things.
We have 38 residents who are all mostly bedridden and immobile so it is really hard work.
Me and the other carer rely heavily on each other to do the work.
I can only work nights due to other family commitments and it would be immpossible for me to do any daytime hours or any other role within the home.

I am really worried as to where I would stand as I feel it would be impossible to carry on with this work if I did concieve.

Can anybody offer any advice or maybe someone on here has been in a similar situation.

They have to do a risk assessment and offer you alternative jobs if you are found to be at risk. They can also make you take maternity leave early. Do they not use hoists?

Hi
avenanap

We do have hoists available but in all honesty there is still alot of rolling and lifting the patient forward needed to get the sling on.

Its really hard with just two of us to see to 38.

tbh it would worry me to death to do my job if pregnant.

At the same time I need the money.

I don't see what other job I could do as I can only work nights.

When you say take maternity leave early would that be 11 weeks before due date.

My sister works in a shop, they made her take her maternity leave early (6months) because she needed lots of time off sick (high blood pressure- 180/130!). Baby was a prem though so it didn't make much of a difference. I have been told of women that have been made redundant because their employer can't accommodate them during their pregnancy. It's only classed as sexual discrimination if the employer can't prove that they would have treated a man with a medical condition similar to pregnancy (??) the same. What have they done when staff are pregnant before?

That staff ratio sounds wrong to me.I used to work in a 45 bedded nursing home and as well as hoists they should provide moving and handling equipment such as slide sheets and support straps,turntables that sort of thing.

I was under the impression that if a risk could not be removed during a risk assessment then you should be offered other duties or failing that leave on full pay?

I am probably wrong though,lol.

avenanap

When staff have fallen pregnant on day shifts they have not done any of the lifting but have just maybe washed a resident, and dressed them,but have called for other staff members to do any actual lifting/manual handling of the resident.

Its a different matter on nights there is just the two of us to carry out the work.
As I mentioned we do have a trained member on nights but their job is to give out medications, reports etc.

When most of the lifting needs doing its all in one go and our trained member is very busy with her work.

In all of the time I have been at the home 5 yrs exactly we have only ever had one night staff member fall pregnant.

She went onto day shifts. My problem is I cannot do them due to other family commitments nobody to look after my ds for me.

It really worries me.

pelvicfloornomore

The equipment that you mention is provided.

Don,t you think though that these aids still require a certain amount of lifting and the work can still be heavy.

Perhaps I need to find out what the risks of this sort of work is to pregnancy as I am not really sure.

Can anybody on here lay my mind to rest.

If you have your risk assessment and your job is found to be unsuitable, as it sounds as though it might be, they must make adjustments to it or find you alternative work.

If they can't possibly make adjustments or find alternative work as a last resort they must sign you off on full pay. Not start your maternity leave early. If you are willing and able to work but can't because they can't adjust your job, they cannot force you to use up your maternity leave, that's not your fault or your decision.

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pelafina

Here is the HSE frequently asked questions about how pregnancy might affect your work in terms of health and safety.

Here you can download a guide for expectant mothers in the workplace.