Risk Assessment

[Amanda]

I've just had a Risk Assessment with my Manager to ensure that no harm will come to either me or the baby through doing my job, and it means that my job will change!!!

I work for a large global stationary company, in a small team of 8 in the IT Operations Department at their Leicester site. I am a Field Support Analyst which basically means I am responsible for all IT/Telephony and Server equipment on one site. This can obviously involve lifting and stretching and crawling around under desks. So we have come to the conclusion that I cannot do my job anymore without risk. I was given an option of going onto the IT Helpdesk, but I did that for over 3 years and towards the end, I hated it. I explained that I thought stresswise that would be worse for me than heavy lifting. Luckily my Manager knows me well, and he agreed. Then we came up with another option. One of my colleagues is purely project based, and he was hoping to get some help from one of us. Well, that is now going to be me!!! So as of next Monday, I will be desk based, have no driving between sites, no manual handling, and it doesn't matter if I'm turning green in the corner through morning sickness, I don't have to see anyone apart from who is in our office.

I was very worried before the meeting as I couldn't see what options I had, but now I'm really chuffed!!

 

[petchy]

aw, tankett - that's great news!! how are you doing anyway? hope you're feeling ok and not too tired or nauseous!

 

[*sam*]

That's great news Tankett!!!

 

[Dee1985]

i had my desk assesment dont to i work 3days and sit down for 9hrs i get back ache so now i got a new chair and footrest but i hate it still sittin down is so uncomfy!

 

[bagpuss]

That's great Tankett-I wish my boss was as understanding as yours.
I work for Royal Mail,I'm a postie,and have been for around 8 years.
The risk assessesment I had done was terrible,I think she made it up as she went along.She came to the conclusion that I was okay to do half a walk,this still involves lifting and carrying the pouch around with me(half a walk is three bags@around 16kg each).I still have to stand to sort my walk out before I go out(from 6 am-8am)then I'm straight out and don't finish until around 11am,5 days a week.I so scared of the icy and frosty weather now, too I have got in touch with my Union,they say I shouldn't be going out,I should only be doing light duties around the office,and that the risk assessment she did was all wrong.The boss isn't back until next week though,so I have to hold fire until then,my Union rep is coming down to try and sort something out with her.Everybody in the delivery office is disgusted - I can't bend down any more because my belly is massive,I don't know how she expects me to bend down at work!!
Sorry for jumping in on your post,I just had to have a moan!!I'll shut it now
So pleased for you Tankett(again)!!

 

[hels]

Gosh, thats terrible bagpuss, nearly as bad as my employer!!
Im a nurse in a private hospital for patients who are sectioned, so yes they can be and are v.dangerous. Company policy states that as soon as you descover your preg then you must do light duties, thats great.
When i mentioned a risk assessment for working in the offices, i was told that they have a 'standard' one, same for all!!!! I couldnt believe it, thats like me doing the same care plan for every patient....i didnt realise that i was the same as every other pregnant woman, and had the same needs as everyone else!! mad hey!
anyway Tankett, thats great news for you, glad your company are mor on the ball than others. Good for you!!!
So glad im on maternity leave now, but they have even cocked that up with the pay! Useless company.

 

[rach]

ooh i hate work since i had my risk assessment its so boring im not allowed to do anything just cant wait to finish now as im just stood around for my whole shift time goes so slow xxxx

 

[Amanda]

Isn't it funny how things can change in a couple of weeks!!

Rach - I'm with you mate. I'm soooooooooo bored!!!! There is nothing to do! And I'm being told there is so much I can't do, that the initial brilliant feeling is now wearing off. I can't even lift a ream of paper!

I've also been told that I couldn't help a colleague out by doing some extra work at the weekend (on my laptop on my fat arse!!) because I'm no longer allowed to do out of hours. Yet, I'm on call every fifth weekend!! Arrrggh!!!

And my friend who keeps me sane by talking babies left on maternity leave last Friday!! (you are really being missed MrsG!!!)

 

[MrsG]

Hello, well reading those posts I am quite glad I didnt push for my risk assessment when I was still at work, as my days were boring enough without being told I couldnt do this or that! shame they dont allow you to reduce your hours and stay on full pay!

Tankett, ive emailed you.

 

[rach]

oh my god work is so boring thought id be glad to work as long as i could now ive changed my mind id rather be home doing anything than be stood around in work doing nothing ah well not much longer for me 7 and half weeks and it will all be over im leaving at 31 weeks as ive got 3 weeks annual leave to take then il go straight on maternity and then i got another 2 weeks annual leave to take straight after maternity so will be off for 31 weeks altogether yippee xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Bagpuss17]

That's great news Tankett, I'm glad you've got a good alternative to your usual job.

That's interesting that you're not allowed to do out of hours work anymore. I'm still on our on call rota, one of the managers has been umming and ahhing about my request to come off at the 6 month stage which makes me laugh because HR wouldn't quibble at all if I took it up with them. As it happens I've decided to stay on the rota as long as I feel fit and healthy and up to it. We have to do primary and secondary, I'll only be doing secondary so it won't be too taxing and the extra dosh will be good.

 

[Amanda]

Bagpuss, the out of hours is causing a bit of an issue at the minute. There are 5 of us who cover weekend call-out, so it is usually one in 5 weekends. I've been told by my manager that if I feel I'm no longer up to doing weekend work, to let him know and he'll take me off the rota straight away. Thing is that would then leave the rest with doing one in four weekends. 2 of the guys have small children, one of them already has 2 small ones and another due any second, and the other's wife is expecting their first mid-March. So I feel it is totally unfair on any of these to ask them to do extra work. And he has also left the decision up to me, sometimes I wished he had some balls and would just make the decision for me!! Either I'm on the callout rota or I'm not. Take it out of my hands! Also, if I get a call which involves coming onto site to do anything physically with any equipment, I'm not allowed to do this and would have to call one of the others anyway,

The weekend of the 11th/12th February, we were due to migrate all data to a brand new server, which obviously has to be done out of hours. Well, the project has been ran by the guy who's OH is having their 3rd child any day now. So he will definitely be on Paternity leave during that weekend. He is meticulous (sp?) with his details, so anyone could take it over, but he asked me because he said he couldn't trust the others to do it properly!! I've now been told that I can't do it because it's too much work!! So the project has been put on hold until he returns from paternity leave. I just wish they would make their minds up!!

 

[Bagpuss17]

That's a nightmare situation for you, being torn between what's best for you and obligation to your colleagues.

Fortunately, our team is a large team and we roughly end up doing on call 1 in every 5/6 weeks until holiday season when it could be more frequently. We alternate between doing weekdays and then the next time we're on it will be a weekend.

It will mean the others do on call more frequently unfortunately when I come off and another colleague comes off as we're both due at the same time.

Have you pointed out that you will need to call someone else on site if required?

Just make sure that you come off if you feel you're not up to it, your health and well being has got to come first. Even though your conscience will be torn because of the extra commitments your colleagues will have to undertake.