NEW AND EXPECTANT MOTHER RISK ASSESSMENT
This form assists managers to undertake a risk assessment to identify and control additional hazards and risks likely to be
experienced by a pregnant member of staff to enable suitable and sufficient risk control measures for the health and safety of the
employee and her unborn child. The form can also be used as a guide to identify the requirement for any health and safety related
adjustments in relation to a pregnant student and their studies. (For further guidance see Appendices 1 and 2).
Name
Job Title
Line Manager
Assessment Date
Is the woman:
Estimated Due Date
School/Directorates
Assessor
New mother/expectant mother/breast feeding
HAZARDS
Identify significant hazards relevant to this risk assessment []
Display Screen Equipment
Slips, Trips & Falls
Manual Handling
Ergonomics/Posture
Welfare
Fatigue
Work Related Stress
Noise
Temperature / Humidity
Out of Hours Working
Personal Safety
Vibration
Access/ Egress
Working at Height
Lone Working
Ionising Radiation
Travel Health
Chemicals
Biological Agents
Background.
Identified Hazards
Manual Handling
Identified Risk
Risk
(H/M/L)
Assessor Comments /Adjustments Made
Pregnant workers are
especially at risk from
manual handling injury –
musculoskeletal injury;
weakening of the
skeletal structure.
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Identified Hazards
Ergonomics/Posture
Slips, Trips & Falls
Working at Height
Display Screen
Equipment
Temperature/Humidity
Out of Hours or Shift
Work
Identified Risk
Risk
(H/M/L)
Assessor Comments /Adjustments Made
Pregnant workers are
more at risk from fatigue
caused by work
demands such as
standing, sitting for long
periods.
Postural problems can
occur due to increasing
size.
Increased risk of injury
due to physical and/or
hormonal change;
dexterity, co-ordination
and balance may be
impaired increasing the
risk of accidents e.g.
from slips trips and falls.
Loss of agility/balance.
Increased susceptibility
to musculoskeletal
disorders and deep vein
thrombosis (DVT).
Heat, cold, & humidity
tolerance can change
with pregnancy which
can result in
discomfort/faint.
Long working hours or
shift work patterns can
affect the health of
pregnant women
2
Identified Hazards
Lone Working
Personal Safety
Work Related Stress
Travel Health
Noise
Vibration
Chemicals
Identified Risk
Risk
(H/M/L)
Assessor Comments /Adjustments Made
Pregnant women are
more likely to need
urgent medical attention.
Violence/fear of violence
can increase risk of
miscarriage/premature
birth.
Individual vulnerable to
stress due to hormonal,
psychological and
physiological changes
during pregnancy.
Increased medical risk
from business travel.
Poor posture/prolonged
sitting increased risk of
DVT.
Risk from infectious
diseases in some
countries.
Prolonged exposure to
loud noise can lead to
increased blood
pressures and stress.
Regular whole body
exposure may affect the
pregnancy.
Certain chemicals are
potentially harmful to a
pregnancy, may affect
the unborn child or be
harmful to the baby
when breastfeeding.
3
Identified Hazards
Biological Agents
Identified Risk
Risk
(H/M/L)
Assessor Comments /Adjustments Made
Exposure to certain
bacteria and viruses e.g.
Rubella can present an
increased risk to
pregnant workers and
their unborn child.
Work with Ionising
Radiation
Work with radiation
which may present a
significant risk to the
mother and/or child must
be avoided – remove the
mother from specific
high risk activities for the
duration of the
pregnancy if
appropriate.
Nausea / Sickness
Early shift work.
Exposure to nauseating
smells.
Standing/Sitting/Posture.
Manual Handling.
Other Related Factors
Backache
Frequent Toilet Visits
Breastfeeding
Access/Egress Increase in Size
Fatigue
Difficulty in leaving
job/site.
Difficulties associated
with expressing breast
milk.
Evacuation in an
emergency
Manual handling
Suitable personal
protective equipment
Fatigue from prolonged
standing or physical
activity.
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Does the employee have any particular concerns relating to workplace and /or pregnancy or breastfeeding in the workplace?
Summary of significant risks:
Action Plan: Control measures to be implemented and by whom
Signed
Employee
Assessor
Line Manager
Recommended review times:
Initial Assessment
1st
Review
2nd Review
3rd Review
4th Review
Upon written notification of pregnancy or informed of pregnancy
by employee (whichever is the soonest)
second trimester 3-6 months or earlier if required
third trimester 6-9 months or earlier if required
prior to return to work
following return to work
Date of Next Review:
A COPY OF THE COMPLETED ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE NEW/EXPECTANT MOTHER AND THE ORIGINAL STORED IN THE WOMAN’S OH/HR RECORD
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APPENDIX 1:
GUIDANCE
Identified Hazards
Manual Handling
Ergonomics/Posture
Slips, Trips & Falls
Working at Height
Display Screen
Equipment
Temperature/Humidity
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Lone Working
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Personal Safety
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Work Related Stress
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Out of Hours or Shift
Work
Travel Health
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Control Measure Guidance
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 apply to all employees required to undertake manual handling
duties.
Restrictions on manual handling as the pregnancy progresses may be required.
Colleagues to support if any risk involved
Breaks from a seated position can help promote good circulation and posture.
More frequent breaks from workstation may help reduce fatigue
The comfort of the individual at work should be reviewed regularly and adjustments made as required.
Driving duties should be risk assessed.
Seek advice from Health & Safety Services as required.
Maintain high levels of housekeeping in work area.
Individuals may have difficulty negotiating stairs during later stages of pregnancy and may need to be more reliant
on passenger lifts.
Modify task to avoid aspects of working at height.
DSE training and assessment to be undertaken if not already in place. Workstation should provide adequate
adjustment to allow for increased abdominal size.
Advice on posture to prevent musculoskeletal problems
Adjust working practices to avoid continuous sitting at workstation/reduce risk of DVT
Avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat/cold/humidity – temperature of working environment to be suitably
controlled.
Rest facilities and ready access to fresh drinking water.
Advise of need to monitor fatigue levels.
Consult with line manager on modification to working hours/avoidance of night work.
Allowance made for tiredness/nausea at early stages of pregnancy.
If individual undertakes lone working, work activity, work location and medical condition should be reviewed and
control measures implemented
If there is a perceived risk of violence/threat of violence/abuse consideration need to be given to modifying the
role to reduce the risk and/or make provision for staff to be available should support be required.
Discuss working hours with employee.
Pregnant workers should be allowed greater control over their working day.
Consideration should be given to workload and work demands
Avoid excessive working hours.
UK Travel: Travel arrangements should include adequate provision for rest breaks during the journey; travel
times chosen to reduce levels of fatigue.
International Travel: Health risks to be further assessed with advice from a medical practitioner/Occupational
Health
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Noise
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Vibration
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Chemicals

Biological agents
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Work with Ionising
Radiation
Nausea / Sickness
Backache
Frequent toilet visits
Breastfeeding
Access/Egress Increase in Size
Fatigue
Travel to be scheduled to avoid restrictions imposed by airlines on pregnant women (typically 32 weeks).
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, 2005 should be applied to all workers exposed to loud noise where
there is a risk to hearing.
Noise is likely to be too loud if you are unable to hold a conversation 1m apart without shouting.
Further advice can be obtained from HSS.
Avoid excessive exposure.
Review COSHH assessments, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Policy can be found at:
http://www.brad.ac.uk/health-and-safety/a-zsubjectindex/controlofsubstanceshazardoustohealthcoshh/
Also see Appendix 2
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Review exposure and advise of increase in risk.
Check if woman is a first aider and is aware of good practice for first aiders.
Avoid contact with chickenpox between weeks 13-20 of pregnancy.
Ensure good working practices.
Ensure good hygiene and infection control.
Contact HSS/GP if there any concerns.
Where exposure is likely as a direct result of their work, restrictions should be imposed to prevent the exposure.
An assessment of work with ionising radiation should already be in place and this should be re-assessed.
Contact the local Radiation Protection Supervisor/University Radiation Protection Adviser/HSS for specific advice
if necessary.
Other Related Factors
Consider flexible working hours.
Remove from work involving smells until nausea ceases.
See above.
Ensure adequate welfare provision.
Consider provision of suitable private room for expressing milk.
Seek advice from HSS.
Make arrangements to ensure emergency evacuation is not compromised
Consider impacts for DSE work and review as required
 Avoid long periods of standing. Task modified to provide seating or more frequent rest periods.
 Aspects of work may need to be modified as physical capability reduces as pregnancy progresses.
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APPENDIX 2: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
In the U.K., the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009 - known as CHIP Regulations - impose duties upon
suppliers, and importers into the EU, of hazardous material The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations govern the use
of hazardous substances in the workplace in the UK and specifically require an assessment of the use of a substance Regulation 12 requires that
an employer provides employees with information, instruction and training for people exposed to hazardous substances.
The CHIP regulations are gradually being replaced by the European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and
Mixtures - known as the CLP Regulation. Most of the onus is on suppliers with regard to CLP, but end-users need to be aware of the changes in phrasing,
pictograms and safety data sheets.
Risk Phrases are being replaced by Hazard Statements. This is a standard statement about the nature of hazard and degree of hazard of the substance.
Each hazard statement has a corresponding identification code; however this may not be used instead of the written hazard statement on the
packaging/safety data sheet and must only be used for reference. Each substance will now have either ‘Danger’ or ‘Warning’ on the label unless it
is deemed of such low hazard not to require one.
Examples of R-phrase/H-statement conversions:
Existing Risk Phrase
R28
R25
R65
R27
R24
R23;R26
R23
R46
R68
R45
R49
R40
R60
R61
R60-61
R60-63
R61-62
R62
New Hazard Statement
H300: fatal if swallowed
H301: toxic if swallowed
H304: may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
H310: fatal in contact with skin
H311: toxic in contact with skin
H330: fatal if inhaled
H331: toxic if inhaled
H340: may cause genetic defects
H341: suspected of causing genetic defects
H350: may cause cancer
H350i:may cause cancer by inhalation
H351: suspected of causing cancer
H360F: may damage fertility
H360D: may damage the unborn child
H360Fd: may damage fertility; may damage the unborn child
H360Fd: may damage fertility; suspected of damaging the unborn child
H360Df: may damage the unborn child; suspected of damaging fertility
H361f: suspected of damaging fertility
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R63
R62-63
R64
H361d: suspected of damaging the unborn child
H361fd: suspected of damaging fertility; suspected of damaging the unborn child
H362: may cause harm to breast fed children
Further Information

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Policy:
http://www.brad.ac.uk/health-and-safety/a-zsubjectindex/controlofsubstanceshazardoustohealthcoshh/

R-Phrase to H-Statement converter can be found at:
http://ghs.dhigroup.com/pagesghs/translationtool.aspx
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A full list of hazard statements produced by the EC is available below as well as on a number of suppliers websites:
Hazard statements - European Commission
Hazard statements - Sigma Aldrich Globally Harmonised System webpage
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