[Spiceman]

Hi,
Can anybody help?
I need to complete a pregnancy risk assessment as one of our cleaners is expecting a baby next March.
She informed us when she was just 5 weeks pregnant and from that time has refused to vacuum carpets or mop floors as she feels this would be a danger to her pregnancy.
Obviously we don't want to put her pregnancy at risk in any way, but I would have thought that at this stage in her pregnancy that vacuuming a carpet or mopping a reasonable sized room would be okay.
I wonder if others have produced risk assessments for their staff and how it changed during the course of the pregnancy.
I'm a man and obviously want to be sympathetic without the experience myself of working through a pregnancy, but a cleaner who can't clean floors is a problem. We are already getting discruntled staff who are having to do her heavier duties and one member of staff quit because she felt she was being used unfairly.
we are only a small company and its not as if I can put in a large contract.
I have checked with the H&S executive and if she can't do her job then we have to either find her a suitable alternative or send her home on full pay.
If she was 7 months plus I could understand , but at this stage!!
So any help would be much appreciated, even if you tell me I am being unreasonable.
Regards,
John

[garyj]

I have been in this situation.

Sorry John looks like she is going to be trouble and it is going to cost you.

Send me an email and I will tell you what happened to me, you are on a loser all round!!

[hotsteam]

Hi Spiceman why not put her on telesales, someone told me they have to make
around 200 calls an hour if that does not p her off nothing will.
P.S You can't tell me holding a phone is a health risk ? I suppose it depends who you are talking to.
Regards Hotsteam

[pro-clean]

absolute tosh, it really pee's me off when somebody uses their pregnancy or disibility to get out of doing a day's work, in your case i assume a few hours a day, you should be able to sack her but thanks to the left wing liberal  nutters she would probley be able to sue you, i'm not sure where you stand legally, but has she got other children and does she employ a nanny to look after them and pick up after them of course not, absolute bo**ocks
best of luck, keep us informed
Richie

[Spiceman]

Hi,
Yes she only works 3 hours a day (Mon-Fri)
Unfortunatly she is Czech and if was to put her on tele-sales heaven only knows where that would leave me. (mmm unless I decide to expand into Eastern Europe that is)
I have looked at a risk assessment and the obvious risks as I see them would be carrying vacs , especially upstairs. Also chemicals have been in the news recently making a connection between cleaning chemicals and asthma in children, so I will be looking at using eco friendly cleaning agents and as we use microfibre cloths any how, water should be ok for many hard surfaces.
  keep smiling,
John

[BDCS]

Sack her and give her a ticket home as a goodbye payment - czech eh  bet you thought she'd work hard and say nowt. IMO

[garyj]

How long has she been employed by you?

It has no bearing on the question or the answer as all the rules for the employer go out the window once they are pregnant.

I just wondered how long she has been with you and been in the country?

[Fox]

Just a thought but has she registered with the home office to work yet?  It is your responsibility to give her the forms but she must fill them in and pay as part of her terms of employment, think it is around £90, it might put her off and she could end up giving notice? 

As for risk assessement unless she can show you a valid reason not to mop floors etc this is not a risk to her, the carrying of heavy objects fine but a mop!  lol
Follow her around and find out what she is doing, actually show her step by step how to use a vac pipe without bending over constantly etc, she will have no excuse then, she has got as much owness her to show you why she can't do simple things involved in her employment.

Fox

[Spiceman]

Hi,
Thanks for your comments.

The young lady has worked for us for a couple of years now.
She completed her workers registration within the 4 weeks allowed (it only cost £75.00 back then). This is a requirement of all our staff, when appropriate.

I have no problem with her being pregnant, we want to support her as well as we can. I just want to be fair and establish what is reasonable.

It is a legal requirement that we complete a risk assessment. I feel I need to pay particular consideration to lifting, repetative bending and stretching, chemical use plus trip and slip hazards.

I just feel that the risks should get greater as the pregnancy continues.
To me lifting a bucket of water from a sink to the floor or pushing a henry wand around should be easier in the early days getting progressively more difficult as time goes by.

When she first presented us with the no vacuuming no mopping senario I did ask for a doctors note. She provided one which confirmed that she was prgnant and stating she was concerned that she may suffer a miscarriage if her work was too heavy. It didn't give any specific do's and don'ts.

She is a good worker and has been reliable which is rapidly becoming a novelty nowadays.
We have a equality policy which we embrace. I would never dream of taking on someone in the hope they would not understand their rights. We have always paid above the minimum wage. We employ people of many nationalities just so long as they have the legal right to work. Our major concern is that they can understand health and safety issues as well as instructions.

I don't want to sack her!
I'm just looking to be fair but I am running a business here.
I need to complete this risk assessment next week and was hoping someone had done one before and whether they felt it was adequate in the circumstances.
John
John

[BDCS]

Do you honestly feel that those feelings are recipricated and that after she's had the baby and of course maternity allowance she'll come back to work - I doubt it, maybe work untill the maternity allowance kicks in, have the baby then when the maternity allowance stops go home or even the dole. I may be wrong of course 

[Joe H]

Are you a member of the Federation of Small Busineses (or anything similar).

They give free advice to members.

[cactus11]

Physically the start of pregnancy can actually be the most dangerous time to lose a baby. Sounds like she may be trying to be over protective of herself.

I managed a huge company in London of mainly women. When they were pregnant they carried on as norm. The risk assessment should be in conjunction with the individuals doctor and his opinions.

If the doctor does not feel this lady has special circumstances then it must be explained to her that her job must be completed thoroughly or she will lose her job quickly to someone who can complete the work.

Do not feel sorry for her she is pregnant not sick. If she wants the money she will work and that will prove to herself how much she is capable of.

Hope this helps.

[Spiceman]

Thanks cactus,
That certainly makes me feel better about things.
I have made arrangements to chat things through with her this week.
Reckon I'll be a little more confident now!
Regards,
John

[Lesley J]

I had a girl working for us who was pregnant, she got a letter from her Dr saying she should only do light dusting, could not sack her, acas said I should let her do my job in the office and I go and do her work for her, cost me loads of money.

[kleanitall ltd]

please ring me i can help

[kleanitall ltd]

please email me i can help adh@airedale3.fsnet.co.uk   i am going through this now have quite a bit of info for you