New and Expectant Mothers

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NEW AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS

MANAGERS HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDANCE

HEALTH & SAFETY UNITSPRING TERM 2006

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Foreword

“Pregnancy should not be equated with ill health. It should be regarded as everyday life and its health and safety implications can be adequately addressed by normal health and safety management procedures. Many women work while they are pregnant, and many return to work while they are breastfeeding. Some hazards in the workplace may affect the health and safety of new and expectant mothers and their children. ” - Health and Safety Executive – “New and Expectant Mothers at Work”.

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CONTENTS

Page

1AIM2

2LEGISLATION2

3OBJECTIVE2

4DEFINITIONS2

4.1New and Expectant Mothers2

4.2Giving Birth2

4.3Hazards2

5DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES3

5.1Departments3

5.2Managers and Supervisors3

6ACTION PLAN3

6.1General3

6.2Hazard Spotting4

6.3Risk Assessment4

6.4Significant Risk Identified4

6.5Review the Risk Assessment4

7NIGHT WORK5

8ADVICE5

9FACILITIES5

9.1Suitable facilities5

Appendix 1Procedural Flowchart7

Appendix 2Risk Assessment Flowchart8

Appendix 3 Risk assessment form9

Appendix 4 Risk assessment example11

1AIM

• To ensure compliance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999 by assessing workplace risks to new and expectant mothers.
• To minimise any identified risks to a new and expectant mother.
• Provision of safe and healthy working environment for new and expectant mothers.

2LEGISLATION

There is now a specific requirement to take into account risks to new and expectant mothers when undertaking a risk assessment of a work, teaching or research activity.

3 OBJECTIVE

The objective will be to avoid or minimise the risk to new and expectant mothers by identifying and implementing suitable and sufficient control measures. Where this is not possible then changes in working conditions, offer of alternative work or in particular cases paid leave may need to be considered to protect the health and safety of the woman and her child.

4DEFINITIONS

4.1New and Expectant Mothers

For the purposes of this guidance new and expectant mothers are defined as an employee or student who:

• is pregnant;
• has given birth within the previous six months, or;
• is breastfeeding

4.2Giving Birth

Giving birth will be regarded as being delivered of a living child, or after 24 weeks of pregnancy, a stillborn child.

4.3Hazards

For the purposes of this guidance, hazards to new and expectant mothers will be regarded as any physical, biological, chemical, processes and physical conditions that may affect the health and safety of new and expectant mothers.

5DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1Departments

Departments have general duties and responsibilities for the health and safety of employees and students who work or study in areas under their control. In practice this means that through a risk assessment process significant hazards are identified and appropriate measures implemented to eliminate or control the risks from identified hazards.

Therefore if there is a possibility that employees or students may be exposed to significant hazards that are known to cause adverse effects during pregnancy or nursing these must be subject to the risk assessment process.

5.2Managers and Supervisors

• Managers and supervisors have a general duty under the regulations to assess the hazards and risk to employees and students when individuals of child bearing age – e.g. identify hazards that could affect fertility.

• provide information to respective employees the results of risk assessments and any protective, preventative measures that have been identified
• Having been notified of a pregnancy then a more specific assessment will be required and include:
• Those activities and processes that may present a risk to new and expectant mothers at work

• Discuss and identify the hazards with the employee or student.

• Discuss and implement control measures or safe systems of work related to the hazards, this may include a change to working hours, to job content or the offer of alternative work

In order for the university to discharge its duties with regard to new and expectant mothers, employees and students are advised to inform their supervisor or course tutor as soon as they become aware that they are pregnant (See Appendix 1).

6ACTION PLAN

6.1General

Risks to be assessed include those of the unborn child or child of a woman who is still breastfeeding. It will be necessary to consider the risks to new and expectant mothers when constructing risk assessments. Existing risk assessments may need to be reviewed to ensure that appropriate consideration has been given to the risks to new and expectant mothers.

6.2Hazard Spotting

The first stage of any risk assessment exercise is to complete an inventory of hazards. There are a number of physical, biological and chemical agents, processes and working conditions that may affect the health and safety of a new and expectant mother. Please refer to Appendix 3 for details.

6.3Risk Assessment

Once a risk assessment has identified a substance or activity that could damage the health and safety of a new or expectant mother or child then this information must be passed onto women employees and students of child bearing capacity. The potential risks should be explained including the action you intend to take to make sure that new and expectant mothers are not harmed.

Where possible risk avoidance techniques must be utilised to prevent harm. If you have undertaken a risk assessment exercise within your department and constructed suitable and sufficient risk assessments in respect of specific legislation e.g. COSHH, DSE, Manual Handling etc, this will normally satisfy the requirements in respect of new and expectant mothers. See Appendix 3

6.4Significant Risk Identified

Where after the construction of the risk assessment and identification of control measures has been undertaken a significant risk to the health and safety of a new or expectant mother still remains then the following steps should be considered:

(a)Temporarily adjust the working conditions or hours of work.

(b)Offer suitable alternative work.

(c)Suspend from work (paid leave) for as long as necessary (only when (a) and (b) cannot be applied.

Before embarking on the above course of action your Area Personnel Officer mustbe consulted.

6.5Review the Risk Assessment

All risk assessments need to be kept under review and risk assessments that have considered the hazards to new and expectant mothers are no different.

Particular risks to consider are the possibility that hazard potential may vary at different stages of pregnancy.

In addition the risks to women who are breastfeeding should be controlled so long as they are breastfeeding.

7NIGHT WORK

Where an employee, who is a new and expectant mother, and works at night has obtained a medical certificate stating that night work could affect her health and safety the Area Personnel Officer must be consulted. The university will need to consider the following:

(a)An offer of suitable alternative daytime work if any is available;

Or if that is not reasonable;

(b) Suspension from work (paid leave) for as long as it is necessary to protect her health and safety.

These steps are only required when the risk arises from work. The Health and Safety Executive are not presently aware of any risks to pregnant or breastfeeding workers or their children from working at night per se.

8ADVICE

Advice is available from the Health and Safety Unit and your Area Personnel Officer. Students may wish to seek advice from Student Services in the first instance.

9FACILITIES

The university is required to provide suitable rest facilities for employees and students who are pregnant or breastfeeding. A number of locations have been identified in university buildings for this purpose.

9.1 SUITABLE FACILITIES

The following first aid rooms provide appropriate facilities for new and expectant mothers. Access to the first aid room is normally gained via Customer Services or a first aider.

Campus / Location of nearest first aid room
All Saints west / Second floor, Room 213
All Saints / First floor Mezzanine
Art & Design / Chatham Building Room 114
Crewe / Crewe Conference Centre
Alsager / Alsager Northfields
Didsbury / BehrensBuilding, Ground Floor; Broomhurst Hall.
Elizabeth Gaskell / Ground Floor at back of Refectory
Hollings / Fourth Floor, Room 414
Humanities & Social Science / GeoffreyMantonBuilding, Room G20
BusinessSchool / First Floor, Room 23 adjacent to Alfred Nixon Lecture Theatre
Science & Engineering / John Dalton East, 1st floor (First Aid Room)

Where first aid rooms do not exist pregnant workers will need to use the existing rest areas such as refectories and staff rest rooms.

APPENDIX 1

PROCEDURAL FLOWCHART

Appendix 2

RISK ASSESSMENT

After the employee has provided written notification that she is pregnant, has given birth in the last six months or that she is breastfeeding

* These actions can only be implemented after consulting and reaching agreement with Personnel Services

Employers should monitor and review these actions on a regular basis

Appendix 3

New and Expectant Mothers Risk Assessment

Part 1

Question / Response
Name of manager completing the risk assessment
Name of employee / student
Job title / name of course
Location and hours of work
Are they an expectant mother? / If yes go to part 2
If No go to part 3

Part 2 Expectant Mothers

Question / Response
Have you received written
Confirmation of pregnancy or verbal? / If verbal ask employee to provide written ASAP
Estimated date of delivery
Expected date to start maternity leave
How many weeks pregnant is the employee /student on date of risk assessment

Part 3New Mothers

Question / Response
What was the date of delivery
What was the date of return to work
Is this person going to continue to breast-feed
Is there adequate provision and privacy to express and store milk
Are there any work place hazards associated to breast -feeding

Part 4Assessment of Risks to Expectant Mother

Is there exposure to any of the following / Delete as appropriate
Shocks, vibration or sudden movement / Yes / No
Manual handling activities / Yes / No
Noise / Yes / No
Ionising radiation / Yes / No
Extremes of temperature / Yes / No
Shift work / Yes / No
Biological hazards / Yes / No
Chemical hazards / Yes / No
Working at height / Yes / No
Excessive travel / Yes / No
Threat of violence in the workplace / Yes / No
Work with display screen equipment / Yes / No

Where exposure results in risk to the expectant mother, consideration must be made to reduce or eliminate the risk and carry out a risk assessment.

Has the employee raised any specific concerns with the GP or midwife concerning work?

Are they having difficulty carrying out the full range of tasks?

Do they need / wish to be seen by Occupational Health?

Are there any health issues related to their pregnancy, which are impacting on their work?

Symptoms / Tick below
Nausea
Backache
Varicose veins
Haemorrhoids
Frequent visits to the toilet
Increasing size
Balance
Comfort

Following discussions with the individual, if there are any symptoms identified please state the action to be taken.

Actions:

No Action Required

Change in Working Practice

Change of Duties

Change in Place of Work 

Signature of Manager Completing Risk Assessment……………………………..

Date: ……………………………………………………………………………………

Review date: ………………………………………………………………………….

Appendix 4

Example of Specific Risk Assessment Form for an Office Worker

New and Expectant Mothers Risk Assessment

Part 1

Question / Response
Name of manager completing the risk assessment / A.Manager
Name of employee / A.N.Employee
Job title / name of course
Location and hours of work / Clerical Assistant
Are they an expectant mother? / If yes go to part 2 Yes
If No go to part 3

Part 2 Expectant Mothers

Question / Response
Have you received written
Confirmation of pregnancy or verbal? / If verbal ask employee to provide written ASAP. Written
Estimated date of delivery / 6/02/06
Expected date to start maternity leave / 3/02/06
How many weeks pregnant is the employee /student on date of risk assessment / 6 weeks

Part 3New Mothers

Question / Response
What was the date of delivery
What was the date of return to work
Is this person going to continue to breast-feed
Is there adequate provision and privacy to express and store milk
Are there any work place hazards associated to breast -feeding

Part 4Assessment of Risks to Expectant Mother

Is there exposure to any of the following / Delete as appropriate
Shocks, vibration or sudden movement / No
Manual handling activities / Yes
Noise / No
Ionising radiation / No
Extremes of temperature / No
Shift work / No
Biological hazards / No
Chemical hazards / No
Working at height / No
Excessive travel / No
Threat of violence in the workplace / No
Work with display screen equipment / Yes

Where exposure results in risk to the expectant mother, consideration must be made to reduce or eliminate the risk and carry out a risk assessment.

Has the employee raised any specific concerns with the GP or midwife concerning work? No

Are they having difficulty carrying out the full range of tasks?Yes.

Do they need / wish to be seen by Occupational Health? No

Are there any health issues related to their pregnancy, which are impacting on their work?

Symptoms / Tick below
Nausea / 
Backache / 
Varicose veins
Haemorrhoids
Frequent visits to the toilet
Increasing size / 
Balance
Comfort

Following discussions with the individual, if there are any symptoms identified please state the action to be taken.

Actions:

No Action Required

Change in Working Practice 

1. Take regular breaks to avoid prolonged periods of sitting at a computer.
2. To avoid manual handling tasks.

Change of Duties

Change in Place of Work 

Signature of Manager Completing Risk Assessment……………………………..

Date: ……11/07/05……………………………………………………………………………

Review date: ……11/09/05………………………………………………………………….

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