Health and safety at work

Health and safety at work

Health and safety at work

There are a number of aspects of pregnancy that can affect your health and safety at work.

For example, varicose veins can be aggravated by standing for long periods, and the effects of hormonal changes on your ligaments can increase the likelihood of injury or strains when lifting heavy loads.

You have the right to:

But you can also think about how you can help yourself. For example, standing may not necessarily constitute a risk, but it might be hard work if most of your job involves standing.

Standing for long periods

While it depends on individual circumstances, standing or indeed sitting in one place is likely to become more uncomfortable as your pregnancy progresses.

  • A workplace risk assessment will identify if you are being placed at risk by standing for long periods while you’re pregnant.
  • Any job that can be done sitting, should be done sitting. Can your work be done while sitting and could a chair be provided?

If not, remember to take frequent breaks. And don’t forget that your employer has to provide somewhere for mums-to-be to rest if they need to.

Tips to help you stand safely at work

If you need to stand for long periods at work, try these tips to keep as comfortable as possible:

  • Stand with knees relaxed.
  • Try to stand upright – no slouching! 
  • Keep your weight evenly distributed. 
  • Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. 
  • Wear support stockings – rather than tights, which can increase your risk of developing thrush; they will help prevent varicose veins, too. 
  • Move as much as possible – it helps to avoid stiffness and gets your circulation working well. 
  • Take regular breaks.

Tips to help you sit comfortably at work

If you sit down for most of the day, at work or at home:

  • Keep your spine well supported. Use cushions if necessary.
  • Get up and move around regularly.
  • Don’t cross your legs – it can make your feet and ankles swell.
  • Put your feed up whenever you can.

Computers

Many women have heard the rumour that working in front of a computer all day could harm their baby. Research doesn’t show that being in front of a screen causes miscarriage or harm to your baby. But you should take regular breaks from your computer anyway; take a walk about and don’t sit for too long in the same position.

Take care at work by:

  • Remembering to lift properly
  • Wearing suitable clothing/flat shoes/support stockings. 
  • Eating little and often to keep your energy levels up – take fruit and healthy snacks to keep at work. 
  • Delegating where possible – don’t be proud!

If you need help in changing your work conditions, talk to your union representative or your personnel department. If your company has neither of these, contact or Working Families on 0800 013 0313.

Comments

Submitted by nwhite201 on Tue, 22/05/2012 - 14:39.
im 22 weeks pregnant and work as a cleaner 5days a week. i told my manager when i was 12 weeks gone but she hasnt done a risk assesment yet as shes waiting for me to get my MATB1 certificate and give it to her. even tho i feel that she should have done one by now as im lifting, bending and walking lots in my job. are your managers surpose to do a risk assesment by the time your a certain amount of week pregnant?
Submitted by justxjessx on Wed, 02/05/2012 - 21:31.
Oh my god ladies!! I'm a community support worker...9 weeks pregnant, with my first child, yes ive had a couple of days off with constant throwing up. But at the END OF THE DAY...ITS PREGNANCY!!! Deal with it, what are you going to be like when your 6/7/8 MONTHS!! Just get up and go to work, if you dwell on it and feel sorry for yourselves...your not gonna help yourself feel any better.
Submitted by rainbowshowers on Mon, 23/04/2012 - 14:45.
I work in home care, and i'm 9 weeks now, i only found out a couple of weeks ago, but i am currently off with morning sickness. I'm itching to get back into work as i dont want to sit around and put on un nessesary weight. any tips for the constant change in appitite that i am getting, finding it hard to eat anything.
Submitted by Foster1984 on Fri, 20/04/2012 - 20:56.
Hi everyone I'm now on my 4 th baby a risk assessment in my place of work is normally done at 12 weeks. There is another girl were I work who is 2 weeks ahead of me I'm 9 weeks by the way. I find it really annoying how people moan saying they can't do delivery they can't clean and they can't empty a bin because there pregnant, no one at work knows I'm pregnant yet but some people need to realize that pregnancy is not a disability it's part of life I get up at 6 am every morning clean my house get my kids ready go to work for 10 hours, come home and clean its half 11 before I get chance to sit and relax . My point is deal with it in the old days they did.
Submitted by leannekh1 on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 12:18.
im 14 weeks with my first baby and have to say from reading all the below i have also been suffering with all the pains under the sun. Although many people say rest etc im a firm believer in staying active and am therefore refusing to let it effect my work. I am not a proud employee but i am certainly trying to stay active for the sake of my unborn and believe many should take a leaf!
Submitted by gingerjedi81 on Wed, 21/03/2012 - 00:07.
im now 16 weeks and been on the sick now for 5 weeks as i have been suffering from shortness of breath when going up and down stairs or walking down town, im also tiring a lot quicker. i work two 10hr night shifts in a care home so have to run up and down stairs with beakfast trays. my manager has not done a risk assessment on me and told me im skiving is there anything i can do?
Submitted by oxforda1 on Tue, 06/03/2012 - 14:42.
I have to say Ladies we are only pregnant, not disabled the term crack on with it really does come to mind !
Submitted by monica23484 on Tue, 06/03/2012 - 08:12.
im 14 weeks pregnant and i work in New Look and im doing 4hour shift, its my second baby and my bump start showing alredy 5 weeks ago which course me a lot of problems with my back and also down below :( especially while im working is very dificult as im on 4 hourse non stop stand up or walking. is it ok for me to have a sit down break while my shift , can i request that from my boss??
Submitted by Riissa on Thu, 23/02/2012 - 11:18.
i Workin in tesco express and i also go to uni. Work has adapted very well for me, i have been given a nice chair and I get one half hour break for an 8hour shift but i know if i needed a break imbetween that they would let me. They havn't done a risk assesment yet and im not sure if i will get maternity pay even though i have been there for nearly 2 years.
Submitted by KerryMcElhinney on Fri, 17/02/2012 - 13:50.
Is this site regulated? Spelling mistakes all over the place. I am currently pregnant and uncertain if this site is reliable? Good to know about safety at work, think my employer will be very considerate.
Submitted by f1rst1mer on Thu, 19/01/2012 - 12:51.
I work as a nursery nurse and wasnt issued a risk assessment until a few weeks after I told my employer I was pregnant. My duties have not changed and i need to lift tables , empty large water containers which the children play with and stand up on chairs to change around wall displays. I also work long hours and only get 30 minutes for lunch. No tea break. Is this normal ? I have been told my someone that pregnant women should have at least a ten minute tea break.
Submitted by stephsmithxx on Sun, 08/01/2012 - 15:50.
Also work in a bakery my work have issued a health and safety risk assessment which is reviewed every 4 weeks. I am due in may and are due to work up until 1st april 2012. Im 22weeks preg now and handed in a letter stating my maternity rights/ claim for SMP/ maternity leave and am awaiting there reply ....x i have 12 weeks left of work and am having all my holiday entitlement paid to me rather than taking it off as money would come in handy with the baby coming. I have bought my pram and car seat and most the baby clothes and nappies and wipes all i have left to get is baby bath and bath essentials and a cot and the bedding xx All the best to everyone x
Submitted by Liddleheart on Wed, 19/10/2011 - 23:31.
I work as a care assistant for children and young people with special needs, I told my team leader soon after finding out I was pregnant at 7 weeks, he did a risk assessment that day, which was fantastic. Then the school holidays rolled around, after which I moved to a different unit with all different staff, at first this was fine as my team leader is a mum and reviewed my risk assessment as I was by then 16 weeks, she also made sure I was kept as safe as possible, no heavy lifting and no working with aggressive students... Soon after, however, she went off sick and has been gone for a month... So now I'm really struggling as my senior is a fairly young man with no kids who doesn't seem to think risk assesment updates are neccissary and he also seems to think it's fine to re-deploy me to units where the students have behavioral problems and are prone to being aggressive and also moved me once to work with a student who had the flu, 2 weeks before I was due to have my flu jab... So I ended up with a bad cold (thankfully not flu) but it has taken me so long to recover, I'm still not over it and I got ill over a week ago... Being pregnant is hard work but I can't afford to go on maternity leave early so all I can really do is hope my team leader gets better soon so she can come back and look after me... I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant and this is my first child so I'm pretty much still paniking at everything... Should really learn to relax...
Submitted by ashthom27 on Wed, 31/08/2011 - 10:18.
I'm now 14 weeks and told my employer straight away. I work in the T.V. and Film industry as a Special effects technician. Last Thurs and Fri I had to do two 16hr days with only one hour brake. Was sooo tired after it. I was also exposed to live fire arms which hurt my ears, god knows what it was doing to my little one. My work have not done a risk assessment and I still do not know if I'm going to be getting Maternity pay. They are definetly not accommodating me!! And what's worse my line manager is female and has had two kids already.
Submitted by pegi2403 on Sun, 21/08/2011 - 11:39.
I'm a hairdresser and work on a commission only basis. Because I am on my feet all day, I need to take more breaks. This means I am not earning as much as usual. I think I am entitled to paid rest, but how should my boss calculate my rate of pay?
Submitted by wemy on Tue, 16/08/2011 - 22:29.
I am 22weeks pregnant and I told my deputy manager straight away even when it has not been confirmed by the doctor yet, so 2 weeks after it was confirmed I told my manager,I was particularly worried my health cos I work in retail and the bakery department which involves lifting heavy boxes, pushing rollers, entering into the freezer and replenishing stock, so I a the first colleague to be pregnant in my branch of Sainburys and my manager has never work with a pregnant staff before, so becos of my extreme morning sickness during the early stages I had my first risk assessment when I was 8wks pregnant and I was moved to the till, and I had another one when I was 16 weeks and another when I was 20weeks, though its still kind of stressful bcos its a convenience store I do get a chair but I can't actually serve a customer while sitting so I only get to sit down when am not serving a customer or when a customer is not waiting and d longest I have had to stand to attend to a customer when its really busy is 45mins and its actually giving me aback pain and my thigh hurts, am thinking of speaking to my boss again to be transfered to a larger store where I can be placed at a permanent sitting checkout position,at times he looks friendly and approachable and at times he just doesn't care, I have had to write him a letter when he made me work on my off day bcos I took time off work to attend a dating scan, and I wrote him with the necessary maternity rights that am entitled to a paid time off for antenatal and I wouldn't work on my off days to cover when I was away for ante natal care, and I have recently joined a workers union hopefully he won't misbehave again but he often says if there is anything else I think he might do to make my job convenient I shouldn't hesitate to discuss it with him, I think I might as well take him up on that idea, but so far my colleagues at work has been helpful and always look out for me.
Submitted by karinaharrison on Sat, 13/08/2011 - 21:07.
I told my new employer on my first day that I was pregnant and he was fantastic and said he still wanted me to work for him. I feel so blessed I work in a environment with men, I am the only female and all the guys I work with are so good they make sure I sit down for breaks, don't lift anything heavier than a mobile phone and eat regularly. I'm sorry for all the women who work in places that don't seem to care what their needs are and how they should meet them.
Submitted by zoey2011 on Tue, 09/08/2011 - 21:28.
i am 17weeks gone now with my second child and i am experiencing terrible back ache i am wakeing up in the morning with the pain that bad i cant even lift myself out of bed its that bad why is this???
Submitted by pebblest1 on Mon, 25/07/2011 - 12:53.
I am 9 wks gone gush!! not easy working like this, not every one understands. My first child was not born like this, I wasn't working then. Now I feel 've nerver been pregnant before.
Submitted by samandgavin on Thu, 21/07/2011 - 21:16.
i am 31weeks pregnant and a care assistant who looks after elderly dementia residents, i have had 1 risk assesment done when i told my boss at 6weeks pregnant and nothin since! i was on 12hour shifts up untill 27weeks pregnant when my partner put his foot down. at times they still ask me to lift residents ect and leave me on my own with up to 10 residents at a time. i get 1 15min break at work and is a joke and i dont get to eat enough,which is starting to cause problems. i am due to leave in 3weeks time but have been advised by midwife to get a sick note for remainder of time left there. my advise is just look after yourselves as work places like mine dont give u no thanks for putting yourself out.
Submitted by corrinne27 on Sun, 05/06/2011 - 12:55.
After finding out i am pregnant with my 6th (yes thats right 6!!) child, i told work on the same day i found out, as i have difficult pregnancy's. I am in retail, and i only do part time hours to fit around the other children. My managers and supervisors could not be anymore accomodating if they tried! I feel very supported, and comfortable. The only problem i have is with extreme fatigue! Could be due to the fact that i already have alot on my plate though! They are brilliant and give me a rest or a change of department whenever i need it. I get the whole day off for antenatal appointments, where i thought i would just get the hour or so, which is great! They wont let me lift anything at all...a bit annoying, but as another mom said, i like the fact that they care, and i am not just a number that got pregnant! You should be made to feel comfortable, and cared about in the work place, and if you are not, speak to a union rep, or failing that, the manager, pregnant women have rights, and most employers will honor them, if you find they are not, something should and can be done :)
Submitted by yummymumtoB on Tue, 17/05/2011 - 21:17.
I'm a care assistant, I had a risk assessment as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I'm 16weeks along now and starting to find 12 hour shifts hard to cope with, especially with the standing and moving about, its playing hell on my back and my left thigh gets numb if I stand to long. My boss has been great and is working with me to make sure I'm comfortable at work, and now plans to split my shifts in half and spread them through the week. I find it a horrible job to be doing when pregnant though. The job involves a lot of lifting and moving, and its not always easy to avoid doing any of it.
Submitted by padi911 on Tue, 17/05/2011 - 20:40.
almightyfroggie can you tell me if you found any law stating that you cannot work 14 hours on some shifts as at times i find the same problem and when i say anything when my ankles swell im told that im pregnant and it is not an illness.im 21 weeks pregnant and find i dont want to go to work due to the attitude of my gm at times.
Submitted by almightyfroggie on Sun, 15/05/2011 - 12:55.
I'm 22 weeks pregnant with my second baby in the same workplace. It's generally ok but still feel like I don't get as much support as I could be getting. I work in retail. We're always short of staff so have to "get on with it". Got a real problem with varicose veins though (had it in first pregnancy) and sitting or standing for a longer period makes me ache. Tried to speak to my gp about it but he's oblivious and insust I carry on working. It is so hard though when you have to push yourself doing even 14 hour shifts!
Submitted by YoungMumJodie on Thu, 07/04/2011 - 18:14.
I am 14 weeks pregnant with my first child and don't know if my workplace is harming my unborn baby. I am a hairdresser and with always being around chemical based products I am unsure wether I should take time off?
Submitted by michellesbaby on Tue, 29/03/2011 - 22:24.
I'm 9 weeks pregnant and told my employer early on (around 4 weeks) that I was pregnant. I decided to let them know asap as my nausea and fatigue was so apparent. I work as a dental nurse & stand a lot during the course of the working day. I've already taken the odd day off here and there in the last few weeks due to my morning sickness (which is extreme, lots of vomiting) However my manager has not informed our HR department of my pregnancy, which means they'll just look at my day's off as normal sick days and probably question why there is a sudden pattern of time off? Once they know I'm pregnant hence the days off will they then treat my absences differently and not count them as 'sick days' but pregnancy related time off?
Submitted by mrsyummy1607 on Wed, 23/03/2011 - 17:54.
I'm 22 weeks and i have also had a tough time in the workplace, i work nights too which isn't easy and my shift manager is an ignorant individual who is male which makes it worse, i get ignored, made to feel i shouldn't be there and when i am spoken to its out of line for example "if i don't like it i can F*%$ OFF" I'm thankful that i work with my partner though as he is my rock and helps me through, he gave me the courage to report the shift manager, I just wanted to let you fellow expectant mums to know your not alone there are some nasty people out there but as long as you have someone there to support you it can be dealt with, just don't go it alone
Submitted by karen31281 on Sun, 20/03/2011 - 10:38.
im 28 weeks pregnant, no risk assesment. Just dont do any heavy lifting, no sure about maternity leave ect yet either. Left locked in alone too.
Submitted by abdua on Tue, 15/03/2011 - 18:33.
i had miscarriage
Submitted by nicolachester231 on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 18:22.
I am so lucky to have a very understanding workplace. My boss is not only my boss but a friend and she is also pregnant (5 weeks behind me). She sorted both of our risk assessments early on and makes sure that I do no lifting, take regular breaks and am only in one position for a short time before changing to do something else. I work in retail and it can be hard when you are dealing with a lot of stock but all I have to do is ask and another member of staff will help. It is so nice to not have to worry about work so that I can worry about all the other things I have to deal with!
Submitted by birdicus86 on Wed, 27/10/2010 - 14:54.
Luckily i haven't had the same problems as some mentioned below, i didn't tell my employer i was pregnant until i was 11 weeks, i had my risk assessment at approx. 15 weeks, this was due to the fact that i'm the first person in my department to be pregnant, so my line manager wasn't sure about the necessary forms to fill out. He passed it on to his manager who completed the risk assessment as soon as we were both available. My normal work does involve a considerable amount of lifting, and i work shifts. Since i have told them i'm pregnant they've moved me onto 1 shift, which due to the hours also minimizes the risk of me lifting. In my risk assessment it advises i mustn't lift anything heavier than 'a file of paper'. And when i have lifted items and my managers have seen me i have had to explain to them that i have checked the weight and am perfectly comfortable lifting it. I work mainly with men and was expecting them to be very unsympathetic but they've been great,making sure they help if i ask. The risk assessment also pointed out that i am to take regular breaks. I have had no problems whatsoever with attending midwife appointments/scans...they do tend to forget but its never an issue when i put my coat on and they ask where i'm going!! it's very unfortunate that other companies do not understand the needs of a pregnant woman and the baby!! although sometimes they tend to go over the top and moan at me for rushing about...i wouldn't want them to not care at all!!
Submitted by LittleMissPregnant on Tue, 26/10/2010 - 01:44.
I was the first person in last work place to fall pregnant. I had no risk assessment and no support from my colleagues. I suffered discrimination from day 1 which continued when I returned from mat leave. Working in a corporate environment, my female colleague were a nightmare especially when I requested to work 1 day from home a week. I used to be an employment law practitioner so am fully aware of my employment rights. However, together with friends in similar situations, it scary to speak up to ur employer when they are in the wrong in fear of losing ur job. Employment tribunals are very long, stressful and costly that we used to wonder which was worse. Good luck to u all. I am 7 weeks pregnant, on a temp contract and mu employer doesn't know anything cause I'm scared my contract won't get renewed!!! :(
Submitted by rhonac16 on Mon, 25/10/2010 - 15:25.
i am now 20 weeks and its been the same here. i have to stand all day and work all departments diner, reception, bar, cleaning up lanes (i work in a bowling alley) i still have to put away deliveries count stock which includes emptying chest freezers full of bags of chips and them putting it all away with little or no help but when i say anything they just think i'm complaining. i've told them its law to give us seats and do risk assessments but they just shrug it off with a "says who" attitude and as of yet still have not done one with me. the company has also just been taken into receivership and we have not been told anything that is happening and i have not been informed what will happen when it comes to maternity pay or my job when it comes time to come back. but with the treatment just now i'm dreading the thought of going back.
Submitted by shirley0151 on Tue, 19/10/2010 - 07:13.
I had told my employers I was pregnant at 8 weeks. I have brought in all the information for my employer about doing a risk assesment. I am in sales and stand all day, no rest breaks (half an hour for lunch) I get ignored most days I don't even get a hello. It's like (how dare you get pregnant). I am now 17 weeks pregnant and still no risk assesment, still there are harmful chemicals, I still climb ladders to get stock, still have to lift items, and run up and down. Thankfully I am not too big to fit behind the counter as he said when I told him I was pregnant, because you can't fit behind it even if your not pregnant! So after my 3 months probabtion no pay rise as discussed and no promotion. I don't think a pregnancy is the end of the world? Why does life have to stop. I wanted to work there after i have had the baby, but with the way I have been treated I am finding it hard to stay motivated. When my sister was pregnant everyone at work made such a fuss, sadly it is not the case I am suprised when I have spoken and now read on this site that I am not the only one. Not only am I stressed about not feeling well, sometimes my legs and hips are really sore and they just leave me to lift stuff and when I try to be quiet rather than moan then told I am hormonal and moody?? Sometimes an offer of help would be nice :)
Submitted by sianybart on Wed, 01/09/2010 - 20:34.
I have asked for a risk assesment but haven't had one im now 22 weeks! My uniform doesn't fit so im wearing my own trousers, i have received no support at all, luckily my team don't allow me to lift anything and keep an eye on me. I'm very disapointed because you'd think a big company like Tesco would be awesome at dealing with pregnant employees!
Submitted by mrshiggins on Tue, 17/08/2010 - 19:08.
My manager tried to get out of doing my risk assessment. im studying law and decided to look into it and eventually rang him and said if he did not comply then i would not be attending work till one was done. I read my rights and he did it straight away. He bearly harrasses me now cos he knows i wont let him put my babys health at risk. Good luck with your situations, and hopefully these employers will ease up and allow you to enjoy this wonderful experience. xxxx
Submitted by emmamon on Tue, 20/07/2010 - 16:26.
my work is an absoloute nightmare, they still havnt done my risk assesment and basically have told me im playing on the fact that i am pregnant when i refuse too lift and constantly run up and down stairs! im 14 wks pregnant on friday and have had slight bleeding which thankfully has now stopped but when i had the time off to go to the hospital for the emergency scan i was spoken too like a truant child! really starting to get me down now its my first pregnancy and have no idea where by law i stand, can these people treat me the way they are? x
Submitted by redsonia77 on Sun, 25/07/2010 - 11:58.
Well i'm going to try this again, lord knows where my reply went. Try printing this link and giving it to your employers: http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/mothers.htm This is basically the law and they must stick to it. It's really wrong that you are being put in the position you are. It's precisely because of employers like yours that the regulations were put in place! I dont know what line of work youre in but you have a Union I would suggest you join and speak to your local rep. Good luck x
Submitted by redsonia77 on Sun, 25/07/2010 - 11:40.
Your employers are behaving outrageously and in fact illegally. When I had my booking in appt with the MW among all the leaflets there was one from BIS which details your rights and also your employer's obligations. I think you can find the same info on this link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/mothers.htm Print it out and give a copy to your manager. I'm 14 wks too and still havent had a risk assessment (my employers need a bit of a nudge!) but they dont bat an eyelid when I take time off for appts. I've also been signed off work for extreme fatigue because, quite frankly it's too much right now and I'm not prepared to put myself or baby at risk. Good luck x