Stress at work - advice needed please

[Gummybear]

Hi peeps, I am 22 weeks pregnant and stressed out at work over the past few days. I work full time and my employer knows that I am pregnant. My job involves face to face contact with members of the public who have financial problems/mental health and physical disabilities.
I have been asked to carry out an appointment with someone who is flagged as being recently violent and threatening due to an incident (last month) with a member of staff.
I raised my concerns about seeing this person as due to my pregnancy I feel that risks such as this should be reduced rather than increased. It is not only the potential physical threat that I would be under but the emotional impact/worry/stress that this puts me under due to the risk involved and the effects of this on my baby. Following a discussion with my manager I was asked whether I am fit enough to do the job at all.

Surely my employer should be carrying out risk assessments rather than telling me I am unfit? Can they even say that to me?

 

[Lynds77]

they should be doing a risk assessment! and if they havent and anything happens to you then they will be in shit!
ask to see Occupational Health. Or tell them to speak to Occ health for advice on how to deal with pregnant woman.

bloody infuriates me, my work are being shite too, but at least they have stopped all my face to face contact with the public. x

 

[Gummybear]

Thank you so much for the reply. This is my first pregnancy and I feel like I'm being paranoid about these issues, but yes straight to HR on Tuesday I think x I don't want "special treatment" but surely risk of violence is an important issue. Thank you x

 

[Lynds77]

its standard employment law that when a woman informs her employer that she is pregnant, that a risk assessment is carried out.

good luck!

 

[Happyred]

Yeah she should definitely be carrying out a risk asessment and should not be querying if you are fit for work. It is her job to ensure that your daily work is appropriate to you and to support you at this time. Personally I would talk to your boss and if her attitude doesnt change take it to HR. good luck. Xx

 

[Gayle30]

God that's terrible. I have a fortnightly risk assessment carried out for my job and I am hardly in any contact with the public. Good luck with HR. xx

 

[KAW83]

You should definitely have a risk assessment, I have had 3 carried out already and am told by my manager to let her know if I have any concerns. I work in a hospital and therefore my patients can be aggressive at times, so I have been told in no uncertain terms that I won't be asked to see people that may put me at risk.

As was said by one of the other girls, it's your employers duty to ensure that your working practice is safe for you, and if it isn't then make adjustments. Obviously it's up to the employee to speak up and ensure they're not putting themselves in a risky situation, which you have flagged up, so most def don't back down hon.

Good luck with HR on tue xx

 

[Princess81]

Agree with what's been said, a risk assessment should def be carried out by your line manager/hr/occ health. I don't think you should be put in that position at all x

 

[John.Cleveland]

I suggest seeking legal advice. My friend was in a similar scenario not long back & she sought legal advice before the matter escalated & when it did she was prepared for the worst. I would suggest using http://www.savasandsavage.co.uk/stress-at-work/