New guidelines to protect pregnant workers and new mothers

Pregnant women and new mothers are protected by new HSE guidelines that aim to ensure their health and well-being. The guidance, which comes after a consultation with unions, employers, and other organizations, aims to ensure that employers provide suitable work for pregnant women and new mothers.

This includes providing a safe and healthy workplace and taking into account any advice from a doctor or midwife. It also includes ensuring that workers are given the right equipment to perform their jobs safely while pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as working with them on any adjustments needed at work because of pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Workers should have access to sanitary facilities and be allowed time off if they are unwell during their pregnancy or after giving birth. They should also have access to breastfeeding support if necessary.

New guidelines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are designed to help employers create those policies. The HSE is an agency of the British government responsible for enforcing workplace safety laws in the UK. It is also interested in ensuring workers get the protection they need. The new guidelines include advice on assessing risks, providing adequate training, and creating an environment where pregnant workers feel comfortable asking for help when needed—and much more.

According to the new HSE guidelines, employers must:

Carry out the individual risk assessment for the workers.

Employers are responsible for creating a safe working environment and effectively managing risks to the health of women of childbearing age.

The employer must perform a risk assessment for expectant or new mothers, as some working conditions or processes could harm them or their children. The risk assessment applies to workers who are:

- Pregnant

- Have given birth in the last six months

- Breastfeeding

After receiving written notification from a worker about her pregnancy, the employer must undertake an individual risk assessment and make necessary changes to support that person. To carry out the risk assessment, the company should:

- Revise the business's general risk management and controls for new mothers.

- Talk to them about any concerns they may have, such as health problems during their pregnancy that could affect the quality of their work.

- Discuss any concerns about their job's potential impact on their pregnancy.

- If the prospective or new mother is a union member, the employee should talk with their health and safety representatives.

Review the individual risk assessment.

The working conditions could affect your worker's performance at several points during their pregnancy: as it progresses, their dexterity; agility; coordination, and speed of movement may be affected by the changing size of their body. Additionally, they might need help reaching particular objects or areas that are typically within easy reach. Taking it into account, the company should review the worker's risk assessment regularly and make the necessary adjustments as the pregnancy progresses in case there are changes in the worker's duties or activities.

Record the findings of the individual risk assessment and share them with the worker.

Once the company completes the individual risk assessment, those findings must be recorded and shared with the worker and their safety representative if they have one.

This is an essential step because it will ensure that the worker has a complete understanding of all the potential hazards they could face on their job and what precautions should be taken to avoid them. It also allows them to offer feedback or ask questions to ensure they feel confident in doing their job safely.

It is crucial to explain how the company will protect a mother and her child.

If a significant risk to the pregnant or breastfeeding worker has been identified, the company should determine whether the danger could be controlled. If the employer cannot control or remove the risk, they must adjust working hours and conditions to avoid the risk or give them alternative work.

Employers should offer suitable alternative work to pregnant workers or new mothers before suspending them from their jobs. This work must be appropriate for the women and on the same conditions as their regular jobs.

If all of the above is impossible, the worker can be suspended on paid leave to protect their and their child's health and safety.