Health and Wellbeing for Pregnant Workers and New Mothers
Risk assessment & action plan
The law requires employers to assess workplace risks for all employees and take practical action to control those
risks.
In addition employers must take particular account of risks to New & Expectant Mothers.
The definition of a New or Expectant mother is:
 Someone who is pregnant
 Someone who has given birth within the last 6 months
 Someone who is breast feeding
(Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999)
1
Please complete the risk assessment form with your line manager and in conjunction with the Maternity
Leave Policy.
Name:
Sign:
Date:
Sign:
Date:
Job title:
BDU/Service Area:
Brief overview of role:
Expected due date of baby:
Date of commencement of maternity leave:
Date of return to work:
Name of line manager:
2
1) General Health
Yes/No
Guidance
2)
Initial Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Do you have a
history of
musculoskeletal
conditions (including
previous injuries)?
Seek guidance from your GP,
Midwife, Moving and Handling
Adviser or Occupational Health
Adviser including Trust physio
where necessary & ask for specific
guidance re your work. Make
reasonable adjustments to your
working practice in line with this
advice.
Does your
pregnancy
adversely affect any
existing conditions
or injuries?
In general avoid all heavy lifting
and avoid or reduce any repetitive
moving and handling of loads.
Seek advice from your Midwife or
Occupational Health Services.
Is your normal
range of movement
limited in any way?
When moving smaller, lighter
loads, adopt a good posture i.e:
- spine in line
- stable base
- bend at the hips & knees
- good grip for load handling
- keep loads close
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Know your limitations and do not
exceed them. Discuss any
difficulties with your line manager
and/or Occupational Health
Adviser
3
Moving and
Handling
Yes/
No
Guidance
Initial review
Comments/action
Date:
Are you involved in
handling and/or
transporting loads as
part of your role?
E.g. resources,
furniture,
wheelchairs, stores,
lap tops, shopping?
Can this be avoided? If it is easy to
avoid, do so by using trolleys,
wheeled bags, seeking assistance.
Complete load handling risk
assessments and handling plans for
inanimate loads and make
reasonable adjustments.
Do you assist people
to move, transfer,
and reposition?
Identify with your line manager which
people handling activities you are
involved in including any involvement
in the management of aggression and
violence
Do you have
appropriate risk
assessments
completed for these
tasks?
Consider if you are able to perform
these handling tasks safely. If you are
not able to do this safely or
comfortably, consider the risks to
yourself and others and make
reasonable adjustments to reduce
these risks.
You may need to seek advice from
your GP, Occupational Health Adviser
or Midwife with regard to your ability
to carry out people handling tasks.
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Take frequent, planned rest breaks
wherever reasonably practicable
Are you up to date
with identified
moving & handling
training?
Attend appropriate training identified
with line manager and with advice
from Learning and Development or
Moving and Handling Adviser
4
Management of
Aggression and
Violence
Yes/
No
Guidance
Initial review
Comments/action
Date:
Is there a high risk of
potential or actual
aggression within
your workplace
either at a fixed base
or within a
community setting?
Can you be reallocated to an
environment with a low risk of
exposure to violence and aggression
away from direct contact with service
users, i.e. reception areas etc? If
there is a specified risk from an
individual in the community can the
intervention with the service user be
allocated to another member of the
team?
If this is not possible the pregnant
worker should not become involved in
any high risk interventions which
expose them to a risk of violence and
aggression, such as one to one
observations, escorting and working
with service users that have an
identified risk of aggression / violence
to staff or women.
It is not advisable to
become involved in
restraint procedures
There should be enough staff to
adequately undertake a restraint
especially if there is a foreseeable
risk or a planned intervention, without
the pregnant woman becoming
involved
Training
It is not permitted for the pregnant
woman to undertake the training in
physical interventions. If a pregnant
woman or their manager has
concerns they should discuss with the
MAV team and observe a one day
breakaway session or attend for half
of the day to be involved in the non
physical aspects.
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
5
3) Health and Safety Yes/
No
Guidance
4)
Initial review
Comments/Action
Date:
Do you use display
screen equipment
(e.g. P.C/laptop) &
associated
equipment?
Complete a Workstation risk
assessment or review any existing
assessment and make reasonable
adjustments(see Display Screen
Equipment Policy)
Seek advice from Moving & Handling
Adviser or Health & Safety Adviser if
necessary.
Do you drive or
travel extensively as
part of your role?
Consider frequency, distance, and
type of transport used. Can
reasonable adjustments be made to
reduce distance & frequency of
travelling or driving?
Does your role
involve prolonged
working hours or
night work?
Regularly assess working hours and
make reasonable adjustments as
necessary. Take frequent, planned
breaks
Avoid permanent night work if
possible.
Are you a lone
worker?
Ensure that current working practices
minimise risks to personal safety and
robust communication procedures are
in place
Are you exposed to
hazardous
organisms or
substances i.e. body
fluids, chemicals,
radiation, viruses?
Consider the risk of exposure to blood
borne viruses, chicken pox, measles,
chemical and biological agents.
Use identified PPE, COSHH guidance
and adhere to identified, safe working
practices.
Refer to Occupational Health/ Health
and Safety Adviser for further
guidance
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
6
Health and Safety Yes/
No
Guidance
Initial Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Are you exposed to
occupational stress?
Discuss any problems with your line
manager and identify coping
strategies to reduce stress.
Seek advice and guidance from
Occupational Health Adviser.
Do you have
reasonable access
to rest and welfare
facilities?
Ensure working pattern includes
regular planned rest breaks with ease
of access to toilet facilities.
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Review
Comments/Action
Date:
Sign
Additional Notes/Personal Risk Factors:
Date
Contacts for further guidance and support:
Occupational Health and Wellbeing Services
including Physiotherapy
Roland Webb, Health and Safety Manager
CNDH
01977 605585
Trustwide
01924 327475
Steve Amos Health and Safety Adviser
Trustwide
01422 281488
Alison Roper, Moving and Handling Specialist Trustwide
Adviser
Donna Kirby, Moving and Handling Adviser
Trustwide
01226 345605
James Corson, HR Business Manager
CNDH
01977 605304
Mark Kidder, Network Lead for MAV
Trustwide
01924 327064
01484 649974
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