Really thick question about Risk Assesment at work

[Zoeox]

I don't think I've had one done. Now me and another lady at work are Pregnant but with her first pregnancy it tok her a while to get it done so guessing same will happen this time. x

 

[BritGirl05]

Hi,

You have done the right thing in telling your employer that you are expecting as it allows them to assess you and your work to ensure that tou or the baby are not at risk. Your employer should then sit down with you and carry out the Expectant Mothers Risk Assessment. It should identify all aspects of your job and there should also be questions in there relating to your pregnancy such as back ache, morning sickness etc. the Risk Assessment should also have review dates such as monthly to reassess the situation as things may have changed such as morning sickness becoming worse which may cause you to be late for work etc so that has to be looked at as this can have an effect on your attendance. It should also have actions aswell. Your employer might also recommend a DSE assessment to ensure that your chair and workstation are set up to ensure that you are comfortable amd this would also need assessed as you get further into your pregnancy. The action plan should name specific names or departments who are responsible for doing this and the date of expected completion. I find it frustrating when Managers do a Risk Assessment on an individual without talking to them which deems the Risk Assessment pointless and invalid.

Please also speak to HR as your company must have a policy for which covers this.

PS I do H&S for a living.

 

[BritGirl05]

Hi NinjaKitty,

This may also help, this is the Health & Safety Executives Guidance on new and expectant Mothers;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg373.pdf

Hope this helps.

 

[BritGirl05]

Hi BevG,

in reference to your Lone Working. Does your company have an HR Department? If so, they must have a policy on Lone Working.

It also depends on the nature of your job, what do you do for a living? there are some jobs that it is very difficult to avoid lone working but the policy (that HR should have) would lay out what the procedure is and what the contact time is such as once per hour depending on the nature of your job.

I need a little more information to help you further.

 

[BevG]

im a support worker for 2 disabled ppl, i do sleep ins and shift work, one is prone to hugging ppl and can occasionally be a little aggressive with this, the other is fine tho he has tantrums where he kicks and hits out. my manager says she has assessed and nothing changed, i pointed out that surely i shouldnt have to be doing 3 sleep ins in a row (68 hrs in 3 shifts over 6 days) and they stopped that. also ive been told there has been an ra for me taking the guy swimming but i think he could kick me in the stomach as he sometimes panics while in the water and always has his knees pulled up near you. more often than not i work alone with one of the guys, ive had to do large food shopping trips and i had to go and ask one of the other workers on at the time if they would help me bring the shopping in as they were just going to sit there and chat while i did it alone. i was repetedly told not to get pregnant in the first place over the winter as a few ppl had already done so and are off on mat leave.

if there is a hr dept i have no idea, i only ever have a small amount of contact with anyone other than my manager by phone and the head office is a 6 hr drive(one way) away from me.

 

[BabyBrain]

I do home care for the elderly and disabled, I told work as soon as I tested pos and they have been great, taken me off most of the heavy calls and letting me work just mornings cos of my tiredness. I haven't a clue if they have done a risk assessment, probably not tbh but I have refused to go into any home where there's known aggression by either the client or their family, not cos i'm scared but cos i am a blackbelt and my tolerance level is being replaced by hormones lol.

 

[BevG]

http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/faqs.htm

found this and it makes it quite clear what your work should be doing and what they should take into account when doing risk assessments for pregnancy

also http://www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/paw.pdf

 

[Pickledonions]

to the above poster care is pretty shocking. I work with 6 adults with challenging behaviour no risk assesment was carried out and it took me weeks and weeks to get them to move me to the other home. Im resisentiaL tho and have dont have to lone work. I mean apart from that they have been pretty good...I do shorter shifts and dont push wheelchairs etc but they still havnt and probably wont do a risk assesment. Because of this I refuse to do anything I dont feel happy with on the grounds of there being no risk assesment done and they cant really argue with it tbh. I have no hr so its a case of looking out for myslef and to be fair its the manager thats an arse...none of my collegues expect or ask me to do anything potentially hazardous. I must admit I will be glad for December to come because I have felt uneasy the whole time I have been pregnant. Look after yourself. Are you supported living I dont think you should be working in a challenging behavioir enviroment alone??!! Although my manager thought in her words that I was being over the top when I asked to move

 

[Pickledonions]

also I did go to cab but they were useless....could you join a union?

 

[Lisa_85]

im 27 weeks and still no risk assesment. i just sit at my desk most the day. but HR arent coming to speak to me until 29 weeks to discuss my Mat Leave and get my MAT B1 certificate. It is then she will arrange someone to do my risk assesment.

My company have just been taken over so they are using that as the reason they are so far behind with everything. Even though the girl who works down the corridor is 2 weeks ahead of me and had everything done at least a month ago.

xx

 

[BevG]

also I did go to cab but they were useless....could you join a union?

there is a union but its a pay to be in it and it dosent actually do anything kinda union. so no point really.
as far as im aware they dont class the guys i work with as 'chalenging behaviour' ppl, just that we have to have support plans to deal with those behaviours and they arent that frequent usually (just my luck that the lad has had a few hissy fits since ive been pg lol)

yeah its supported living, dont get me wrong i love the guys i help, just that my company are crap.

having a meeting next monday to go over my RA and discuss it with my manager and a senior manager now since i asked for t and have been off sick for a week. i know my rights lol and i hate to be pushed into this kind of thing but i will be awkward if i have to be.

 

[Pickledonions]

just look after yourself hun. Where i moved from was frequent and where i am now is similar to you in frequency and the same here love the guys its not their fault the company is crap x

 

[NinjaKitty]

Do you know, I can't believe how much RA seems to be neglected! My issue is fairly minor by comparison. Some really useful links here and advice here do big thanks to everyone.

I talked to my manager as I was having big problems with my chair and ending up in pain. Got it sorted now. Still not seen the mystical RA though.