New and Expectant Mothers at Work - Guidelines for Health and Safety
This guideline has been prepared primarily to give advice to employers on protecting the health and safety of employees who are new or expectant mothers. It is not intended to replace proper medical advice. Each woman and each pregnancy is unique and no course of action should be undertaken without guidance from the woman's own lead maternity carer (midwife, doctor, or other medical professional). In all cases, the first and foremost avenue for advice and information should always be the woman's lead maternity carer.
The primary focus of this guideline is on Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, but employers also need to consider other relevant legislation addressing the needs of new and expectant mothers at work. This includes the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987, the Human Rights Act 1993, the Employment Contracts Act 1991 (personal grievance procedures) and the Smokefree Environments Act 1990.
See also the leaflet titled Advice for New and Expectant Mothers at Work.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Scope and application
Definitions
General duties of employers
Workplace reproductive hazards
Hazardous exposures for new and expectant mothers
Aspects of pregnancy that may affect work
Return to work after child birth
Breast feeding in the workplace
Male reproductive hazards
Contamination of the home environment
Appendix 1: Reproductive hazards checklist
Appendix 2: Sample client consent form
Appendix 3: Hazard management flowchart for chemicals
Appendix 4: Known reproductive hazards
Appendix 5: References and bibliography
