Northumbria University

General Risk Assessment Form 2017

DATE: ASSESSOR: LOCATION:

ASSESSMENT AREA/ACTIVITY: New and Expectant Mothers Note: Add or delete hazards and controls as appropriate to the individual

Final Result*
Likelihood
Item No.

Severity
Risk Rating

Activity/equipment/ Persons at H 20-36 Control Measures Required

Hazard
materials, etc. risk M 12-18 Suggest Controls
L 1-10 (On completion of risk review calculate final risk rating)

1 Movement and posture Postural problems can New and 4 3 M=12 Ensure rest area is available and the ability to
arise at different stages of Expectant take longer or more frequent rest breaks if
pregnancy depending on Mothers required.
the individual and the
working conditions. In relation to abdominal change in size, as
These problems may pregnancy develops regular progress reviews will
increase as the be necessary.
pregnancy develops.
Avoid long periods spent handling loads or
Backache: A pregnant standing or sitting with regular exercise or
woman may require more movement to maintain health circulation.
workspace or adapt the
way she works. As Avoid long periods spent handling loads or
pregnancy changes the standing or sitting with regular exercise or
shape and size and ways movement to maintain health circulation.
a woman can move,
stand, sit for a long time in Provide opportunity to alternate between standing
comfort and safety will and sitting.
also change.

Pregnancy specific
changes can pose a Mental and Physical ability: Long working hours,
relatively high risk to shift work and night work can effect on the health
thrombosis or embolism, of expectant mothers, associated risks may vary
particularly with constant however both mental and physical fatigue
sitting. In later stages of increases during pregnancy. Regular
pregnancy women are Occupational health reviews need to be put in
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 more likely to experience place.
backache, which can be
intensified by remaining in
a specific position for a
period of time

Circulation problems due Provide opportunity to alternate between standing

to extended periods of and sitting.
sitting
Review situation as pregnancy progresses.

2 Lifting and handling of Risk of a range of manual New and Avoid handling bulky stationery and other loads.
bulky stationery and handling injuries such as Expectant
other loads strains or sprains. Injuries Mothers Team to be updated and request that bulky
may be traumatic from 4 3 M=12 stationery and other loads are collected by
one off incidents or alternative members.
cumulative in nature.

3 Working Conditions and Prolonged exposure to New and Desk fan can be sourced to enable control of
Environment hot temperatures may Expectant temperature.
result in heat stress Mothers
Consider if the following and/or dehydration. Provide Unrestricted access to drinking water.
are significant Manual
handling, Driving, Poor Risk of physical and Ensure rest area is available and the ability to
or Prolonged Working mental tiredness. take longer or more frequent rest breaks if
Postures, Lone working, required.
Administration of
medication, Night work, Difficulty of evacuation Advise students living in University
Shift work from an area in an accommodation to inform Accommodation of
emergency. 3 4 M=12 pregnancy.
If pregnant woman experiences mobility problems
Small / limited Lack of ability to move or would have difficulty evacuating by stairs (e.g.
workspace, Exposure to quickly or cope with stairs towards the later stages of pregnancy) arrange a
excessive temperatures, in the event of a practice Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan for the
lack of rest facilities. evacuation or actual individual in consultation with the Student health
Exposure to hazardous incident requiring and wellbeing).
substances, Body fluid evacuation.
spillages For field trips it may be necessary to advise the
accommodation provider and arrange for the
pregnant woman to be located in a room on a
lower floor.
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4 General Workload Occupational Stress. New and In relation to abdominal change in size, as
Expectant pregnancy develops regular progress reviews
Psychological ill health Mothers And one to one meetings to be used to identify
related illnesses. and resolve any areas of concern.

Physical Ill health related Weekly team meetings to be used to review

symptoms. current workload and distribute tasks evenly
between team members.
Slips, trips and falls,
Miscarriage, Fainting,
foetal lesions, inability to
take adequate breaks / 4 4 M=16
rest, Communicable
disease infection

Small / limited workspace,

Exposure to excessive
temperatures, lack of rest
facilities. Exposure to
hazardous substances,
Body fluid spillages.

5 Use of Display Screen Postural/ergonomic New and Review DSE assessment and make appropriate A
Equipment problems due to changes Expectant changes to workstation equipment.
in body proportions. Mothers
Consider workstations that cannot be altered to
take into account increased abdominal size,
4 3 M=12 particularly during the later stages of pregnancy.
This can lead to strain or sprain injuries. Dexterity,
agility, co-ordination, speed of movement, reach
and balance may also be impaired and an
increase risk of accidents may need to be
considered
Working with Hazardous Some chemicals are New and 4 5 H=20 A COSHH assessment should already be in place.
Substances specifically toxic to the Expectant This must be re-assessed immediately and
developing fetus or Mothers thereafter regularly reviewed as the pregnancy
breastfeeding child. progresses.
Safety data sheet will
show risk phrases or Refer to relevant risk phrases
hazard statements
(prefixed with ‘H’ instead Work with substances which may present a
of ‘R’), such as the significant risk to the mother and/or child must be
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 following examples: avoided – remove the mother from specific high
• R40: Limited evidence of risk activities as appropriate.
carcinogenic effects Contact the Occupational Health Unit for general
• R45: May cause cancer advice if necessary.
• R46: May cause
heritable genetic damage If an individual has to work with any substance as
• R49: May cause cancer part of their studies or research, for which there is
by inhalation a risk to the unborn or breastfed child, this will be
• R61: May cause harm to detailed in the COSHH risk assessment
the unborn child associated with the student’s work
• R63: Possible risk of
harm to the unborn child The result of combining substances which creates
• R64: May cause harm to a new substance should also have been
breastfed babies considered.
• R68: Possible risk of
irreversible affects Female students should be informed of the risk
before they start working with the substance and
advised to notify her immediate contact if they are
or become at risk.

The pregnant or breastfeeding student should

inform her immediate contact as soon as possible.
The supervisor must review the COSHH
assessment with the students and agree whether
more stringent control measures are needed.

If additional controls are needed they should be

recorded and implemented.
Work with biological Biological agents that are New and An assessment of the work with biological agents
materials including present a specific risk to Expectant should be in place and should be reviewed re-
micro-organisms / GM pregnancy. Mothers assessed immediately. Frequent reviewed as the
work pregnancy develops to consider pathogens which
Potential increased risk of present an additional risk in pregnancy.
infection due to possible
effects of pregnancy on Consider risks associated with chemo-therapeutic
the immune system. 4 5 H=20 agents used to treat laboratory acquired
infections.
Consider vaccination issues and discuss with the
Occupational Health Nurse/ Student Health and
Wellbeing as required.

Contact the Central Health and Safety Team for

specific advice if necessary.
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 Exposure to Infection, foetal lesions, New and Awareness of
Communicable Miscarriage Expectant https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/syste
Diseases:. Hepatitis B, Mothers m/uploads/attachment_data/file/522337/Guidan
TB, HIV, Chickenpox Blood borne infections ce_on_infection_control_in_schools.pdf
etc. For a more through contact with blood (universal infection control procedures)
comprehensive list refer or bodily fluids. There is a
to the Pregnant Workers small risk that the infected Pregnant staff in direct contact with someone with
and Nursing Mothers mother could pass the a potentially infectious rash (e.g. chicken pox,
Exposure to infectious infection to the baby measles, rubella etc.) to seek advice from their
diseases during childbirth. GP / midwife.

Mumps and Rubella can Ensure good washing facilities and robust hygiene
spread among the student controls when carrying out fieldwork in areas
population because of 3 5 M=15 where there is a potential risk of infection.
lesser requirements for
inoculation in other Provision of appropriate standard of gloves or
countries, greater social alcohol based hand sanitizers where necessary.
mixing and living in close
proximity. Can cause Those working in health care are most at risk,
miscarriage or birth however use of standard hygiene precautions will
defects. control the risk.

The pregnant woman should check her immune

status with her doctor and, if necessary have an
MMR vaccination. See Student Support advice on
Measles, Mumps and Rubella for further
information.
Work with ionising Increase skin sensitivity New and 3 4 M=15 An assessment of work with ionising radiation
radiation during pregnancy can Expectant should already be in place and this should be re-
increase the risk of Mothers assessed.
burning when exposed to
UV light. Contact the local Radiation Protection
Working close to Supervisor / University Radiation Protection
significant sources of Adviser as per Code of Practice (Seek detail and
EMF could cause advice form Central Health and Safety Team).
warming or burns.
Strong magnetic fields Contact the Occupational Health Nurse/ Student
can cause ferrous based Health and Wellbeing for general advice if
metal items to become necessary.
projectiles that may enter
the body and damage the Pregnant women who are likely to be exposed to
mother and/or unborn or interact with these hazards need to follow
child. current risk control measures. If in doubt
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 Faculty/Department should seek advice from as
listed above.
Other hazardous Physically demanding New and Review risk assessment for hazardous activity
activities. activities (e.g. theatre Expectant with immediate contact or person responsible for
performances), working at Mothers activity to determine whether work can be
height (e.g. technical adjusted or alternatives identified. For some study
theatre work), 3 3 L=9 programmes it may not be possible to continue
adventurous activities etc. with the course past a certain stage of pregnancy
and so intermitting may be necessary. Regular
review will be necessary.

General Pregnancy risk Nausea / vomiting, Aches New and 4 3 M=12 The University must take into account any medical
and pains, Bleeding, Expectant advice from the pregnant woman GP or midwife
Restricted movement. Mothers about your health and discuss associated risks
Risk of stress, slips, trips and controls.
and falls, tiredness

Adequate Resting facilities available.

Hygiene facilities: There are sufficient toilets and

Miscarriage, Stress, associated hygiene facilities available.
medical complications.
Adequate onsite arrangements for nutrition and
Physical / verbal assault, liquid refreshments. Also that she is able to take
Communicable disease breaks as and when required
infection, Miscarriage,
Stress, Vulnerability Contact with known or potentially violent clients
should be prevented wherever possible for
duration of pregnancy.

Poor access to welfare Mental / Physical fatigue and study hours:

facilities: Morning currently able to cope with her study workload and
sickness early in working hours regular reviews as pregnancy
pregnancy, need to visit develops
lavatory more frequently,
need to rest.
Lack of private facility for Advise student of location of welfare and rest
mothers returning to work facilities, including those for mothers who are
to express milk and store breastfeeding and agree any bespoke
this whilst working or arrangements for breaks.
studying at the University.
Given the provisions of the gender equality duty of
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 the Sex Discrimination Act 1976 (as amended)
and those of the Equality Act 2010, HEIs should
consider the breastfeeding facilities available for
student use. The Equality Act 2010 explicitly
protects students from less favourable treatment
because of breastfeeding.

UK based work Hazards associated with New and Review the requirements of the work placement
placements. work placement. Travel Expectant and whether these will still be suitable for the
to/from work placement. Mothers pregnant woman. If the pregnant woman wishes
to continue with the work placement, the host
2 3 L=6 employer will need to be informed and they will
need to carry out a risk assessment. This is a
legal requirement in the UK where a student is
training for employment.

Extensive Travel Fatigue, nausea (in early New and Review whether proposed overseas travel is still
pregnancy); carrying Expectant appropriate or whether less “risky” placement may
research Mothers be possible refer to
equipment/luggage or https://one.northumbria.ac.uk/staff/pages/dash
research/work equipment board.aspx
may need consideration,
particularly for long trips. The pregnant woman should consult her Doctor
Extensive travelling, before undertaking long distance travel. If Student
particularly at busy times Support has concerns ask the student to provide a
or across time zones may confirmation letter from her Doctor that it is safe to
increase stress. travel.
Driving may be difficult in
very late pregnancy due 4 5 H=20 Student should research health facilities and
to possible difficulty of potential health/security risks in area being visited.
reaching vehicle controls.
Access to health care, Also refer to FCO advice relating to Country
health risks, working in being visited.
remote areas, poor Check that travel insurance covers pregnancy
travelling conditions. related medical care.
Risk will vary greatly
depending on nature of
trip and country being
visited.

Fieldwork and working More frequent toilet New and 4 3 M=12 These areas should already be covered by the
in remote areas with breaks may be required Expectant risk assessment for fieldwork.
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 Limited access to toilet during pregnancy; fatigue Mothers
and rest facilities. may be an issue during Review with Group Leader and confirm whether
pregnancy. Pregnant and planned arrangements are adequate or whether
Poor communications. breastfeeding mothers additional measures may be needed.
Access to emergency may need more frequent
first aid. access to rest and toilet
facilities.
There is an increased risk
that a pregnant student
may need emergency first
aid for a pregnancy
related problem or
following an accident.
Work/study activities in Contact with certain New and Pregnant women who do not know whether they
close contact with childhood diseases (e.g. Expectant have been immunised against common childhood
babies and young Chickenpox, Mothers diseases should consult their doctor.
children. Slapped cheek syndrome, Should a pregnant woman become aware that
3 4 M=12
Cytomegalovirus) during they have been in contact with an infected
pregnancy may put individual or should she develop a rash she
unborn child at risk of should contact her doctor/midwife without delay.
harm.

Northumbria University – Risk Assessment Form

To be completed by the Manager undertaking the risk assessment

Name: Job Title:

Signature: Date:

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To be completed by the Senior Manager

As Pregnancy is not a static condition and the nature and degree of risk will change as the pregnancy develops, risk assessment to be reviewed on a regular
basis in agreement with the pregnant individual, or sooner if any significant change.

Pregnant should inform their UNN contact of any changes in their condition that may be relevant to their pregnancy and their safety at UNN.

I consider this risk assessment to be suitable and sufficient to control the risks to the health & safety of both employees undertaking the tasks and any other
person who may be affected by the activities.

Name: Job Title:

Signature: Date:

NB – Upon return to work, a discussion with the new mother should take place to review the adequacy of the above risk assessment,
thereby ensuring currency and continual improvement.
If Senior Managers do not agree that the risk assessment is suitable and sufficient then the assessment must be reviewed.

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