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HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL
Health & Safety
Arrangements
New & Expectant Mothers
Prepared by Herefordshire Council - Resilience Team (Health & Safety)
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AUTHORISATION
The Resilience Team (Health and Safety) is responsible for publishing policies and arrangements
within a hierarchy of similar publications. Readers wishing to quote these policies and
arrangements as reference material in other work should confirm with the Resilience Team
whether the individual particular publication and amendment state remains authoritative.
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of policies and arrangements is managed by the Resilience Team. Requests for
issue of this publication, or amendments to its distribution should be referred to the Resilience
Team: Resilienceteam@herefordshire.gov.uk
Resilience Team
Herefordshire Council
Brockington
35 Hafod Road
HEREFORD
HR1 1SH
LINKS TO HEALTH AND SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS
This document should be read in conjunction with the Health & Safety Policy & Protocol HSP001
document and responsibilities outlined within the Policy will apply to the implementation of these
management arrangements.
AMENDMENTS
There are no previous arrangements to note in this section. These are new arrangements to
support the general risk assessment process as referred to in HSA015.
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Initial Checklist
 A review of existing workplace risk assessment must be undertaken as soon as a
Manager is formally notified of the pregnancy.
 All female staff of child-bearing age must be given information about the risks that the
work may present and which may affect pregnancy and health.
 The new or expectant mother must be informed of the outcome of the reviewed
assessment and any alterations to working practices or duties required
 The risk assessment needs to be regularly reviewed during the pregnancy, with informal
discussions with the expectant mother and, if any changes are required, for these to be
formally noted.
 The assessment must take into account any potential adverse effects on the unborn child
or the breast feeding child - not just upon the mother herself.
 The workplace should have a rest place provision for expectant and nursing mothers.
 Records of all assessments must be maintained, and all relevant persons informed.
Introduction
Workplace risk assessment should already consider any risks to female employees of
childbearing age and, in particular, risks to new and expectant mothers (for example, from
working conditions, or the use of physical, chemical or biological agents). Any risks identified must
be included and managed as part of the general workplace risk assessment.
New and Expectant Mothers can be defined as ‘a woman who is pregnant, who has given birth
within the previous 6 months and women who are breast feeding’.
Being pregnant, or a new mother, does not prevent a woman from working and developing her
career. Many women work while they are pregnant and return to work while they are
breastfeeding.
In many workplaces there are risks which may affect the health and safety of new and expectant
mothers and that of their child. Working conditions generally considered acceptable may no
longer be so during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, therefore action will be required
Legislative Requirements
Legislation to protect the health and safety of new and expectant mothers at work, include:
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Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW)
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (the Workplace Regulations)
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
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Risk Assessment
A line manager should review workplace risk assessments as soon as they become aware that a
member of staff is pregnant, has given birth within the previous six months or is breastfeeding, so
that risks can be evaluated to ascertain whether additional risks are present due to the change in
circumstances.
Therefore, it is important that female employees inform their employers that they are pregnant,
have given birth in the previous six months, or are breastfeeding. The notification should be given
in writing as early as possible. Reference needs to be made to relevant HR policies and
procedures concerning Maternity Rights.
When evaluating possible increased risks, there are some common hazards that need to be
considered, these include:
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The layout of workstations
Manual handling
Exposure to chemicals
Working at height
Stress and fatigue
Exposure to infectious diseases
Violence and aggression
Night work
Reference should be made to the checklist in Appendix 1.
Workstation Layout
The layout of workstations may need to be re-assessed for expectant mothers to make working
arrangements more comfortable. Repetitive twisting movements should be avoided to prevent
back and shoulder ache. Further guidance on workstation assessments can be found in the
Display Screen Equipment Arrangements. Hyperlink
When looking at the broader issue of the place of work, generally pregnant workers will not have
significant difficulty in climbing flights of stairs or using them for evacuation purposes. Where this
is a problem, then reference should be made to the procedures for the evacuation of disabled
employees, and these amended accordingly for the expectant mother.
Manual Handling
Due to the hormonal changes which affect the ligaments during pregnancy, pregnant mothers are
at a greater risk of manual handling injury. They may also experience postural problems as
pregnancy progresses.
There are also risks for women who have recently given birth, for example, after a caesarean
section there is likely to be a temporary limitation on lifting and handling capability.
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In line with the standard risk assessment procedures, managers should consider the following
hierarchy of control measures when assessing manual handling risks for pregnant workers:
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where ever practicable, manual handling should be avoided by pregnant workers;
where this is not possible, is there any lifting equipment which can be used to assist
handling operations;
can loads be reduced or tasks changed to make handling easier, and
is the manual handling environment clear of obstructions.
Reference should be made to the Manual Handling Arrangements. Hyperlink
Exposure to Chemicals
Some substances may cause harm to the developing foetus and some may cause harm to babies
being breastfed, so it is important to consider this when undertaking specific COSHH
assessment Hyperlink. Reference should also be made to the COSHH Arrangements Hyperlink
If a pregnant worker uses chemicals as part of their everyday work, you must check that it is safe
for her to continue to do so. Common groups of chemicals, which may pose problems, include:
 Pesticides
 Solvents
 Wood preservatives and adhesives
 Chemicals used in school science experiments (also refer to CLEAPSS information for
schools)
 Lead, mercury and asbestos.
Working at Height
Expectant mothers may experience problems with low blood pressure, which can cause dizziness
and fainting. In addition as the baby grows, postural problems and a changing centre of gravity
can affect balance and agility.
It is not advisable for pregnant women to work at height. Where it is unavoidable, every effort
must be made to minimise the risks of such work, and the matter closely monitored during the
pregnancy in line with the risk assessments review process.
Stress and Fatigue
During pregnancy women may feel anxious and can also experience periods of extreme fatigue
and tiredness. To manage these hazards, managers should support expectant mothers by
providing them with appropriate information on aspects such as;
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Hours of work
Volume and pacing of work
Work targets
Breaks (consider whether more frequent or longer breaks are needed)
Where employees are on their feet for long period, provide seating so they can rest.
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Reference should also be made to the support on offer from the Council’s Occupational Health
Service and Counselling Service. Hyperlink
Exposure to Infectious Diseases
Some workers, particularly those working with children or animals, or where there is exposure to
syringes etc., are at a greater risk of exposure to infections, which could harm the developing
foetus. Listed below are some common diseases:
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Hepatitis and HIV exposure
Chicken pox
Rubella
Chlamydia in sheep
Toxoplasmosis
The risks of infection are relatively low if measures are taken to reduce exposure, e.g. avoiding
contact with infectious children, wearing correct PPE etc. For further advice and guidance on
risks to pregnant workers please contact the Health & Safety Team or Occupational Health Unit.
Violence and Aggression
Where expectant mothers are exposed to risks of violence and physical assault at work, steps
must be taken to protect them. This could include looking at alternative duties or where the risk is
small making sure that they have adequate support in order to carry out their job safely.
Reference needs to be made to the Violence & Aggression Arrangements (hyperlink)
Night Work
Special consideration needs to be given to those new or expectant mothers who work at night. If
such an employee has a medical certificate stating that there is a significant risk that night work
would affect her health or safety the Council must take action to either offer suitable alternative
daytime work if any is available; or if that is not reasonable, the provision for paid leave as
appropriate.
Aspects of Pregnancy that may Affect Work
The following list provides some aspects of pregnancy that may affect a woman’s ability to
undertake some or all of her job.
Morning sickness
Early starts
Exposure to nauseating smells, which could include
cooking, chemicals, cleaning products.
Backache
Standing for long period
Manual Handling
Posture
Fainting
Working in hot conditions
Getting up from seated position too quickly
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Varicose veins
Standing or sitting for long periods
Frequent visits to the toilet
Difficulty leaving job or site of work
Increasing size
Use of protective clothing
Working in confined areas
Manual handling
Tiredness
Overtime
Evening work
Balance
Problems of working on slippery, wet surfaces
Working at height
Dexterity, agility and co-ordination,
speed of movement and reach may be
impaired because of increasing size
Physical jobs and tasks.
Minimising the Risk
The risk assessment process seeks to minimise risks to the new and expectant mother, and
reference to the checklist in Appendix 1 will assist the manager in identifying relevant risks.
Reference should also be made to the Risk Assessment Arrangements HSA015.
The checklist is not exhaustive and it is important to discuss all aspects of pregnancy with the
expectant mother to ensure that all the relevant information is considered as part of the
assessment.
Rest Facilities
Suitable and sufficient rest facilities should be provided at readily accessible places for pregnant
workers and nursing mothers. These facilities should be conveniently situated in relation to
sanitary facilities and, where possible, include the facility to lie down. Frequency of use should be
discussed as part of the risk assessment process.
Further Guidance
Health and Safety Executive - Health and safety for new and expectant mothers
www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/index.htm
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Appendix 1 - Risk Assessment Checklist for New and Expectant Mothers
Name of Employee
Department
Job Title
Pregnancy or new mother details,
e.g. approx. due date, actual birth
date, medical certificate from GP
Is the woman exposed to any of the following specific hazards?
Workstation
Yes/No
Stress/Fatigue
Manual Handling
Yes/No
Infectious Diseases
Chemicals
Yes/No
Violence & Aggression
Working at Height
Yes/No
Night Work
Other risk (please specify)
If answers for above are ‘yes’ - have specific risk assessments been undertaken as
appropriate to address any issues identified? If so, please attach to this form
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Do special precautions need to be considered?
Yes/No
Has the employee been informed of the potential risk?
Yes/No
Have all safety measures been undertaken?
Yes/No
Is there still a potential risk to the new or expectant mother?
Yes/No
Are you able to adjust her working conditions?
Yes/No
Are you able to offer her suitable alternative work?
If no, does medical suspension apply?
Yes/No
Yes/No
Is a referral to occupational Health required
Yes/No
What actions or work adjustments are required?
Name of Line Manager
Signature
Date
Name of Employee
Signature
Date
NB: This assessment needs to be reviewed at regular intervals during and after* the
pregnancy (*breastfeeding mother).