Possible health and safety risks

[ch 7: pages 62-63]

The HSE says workplace risk assessment’s must specifically consider any risks to the health and safety of a new or expectant mother, or that of her baby. It says possible risks include the following:

Physical agents

• movements and postures;

• manual handling;

• shocks and vibrations;

• noise;

• radiation (ionising and non-ionising);

• compressed air and diving; and

• underground mining work

Biological agents

• infectious diseases

Chemical agents

• toxic chemicals;

• mercury;

• antimitotic (cytotoxic) drugs;

• pesticides;

• carbon monoxide; and

• lead

Working conditions

• facilities (including rest rooms);

• mental and physical fatigue, working hours;

• stress (including post-natal depression);

• passive smoking;

• temperature;

• working with visual display units (VDUs);

• working alone;

• working at height;

• travelling;

• violence;

• personal protective equipment; and

• nutrition

It says pregnant workers can safely work with display screen equipment (DSE) and that scientific studies have not shown any link between miscarriages or birth defects and working with DSE.

The physiotherapists’ CSP union has recently produced a Hazards checklist for pregnant members. This includes a non-exhaustive list of common hazards that can affect pregnant workers and includes questions they may like their employer to address if they consider a particular hazard applies to them. Available to CSP members from the union’s website at: https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/hazards-checklist-pregnant-members.