(updated 18/10/21)

a) SLS adheres to Safety Services' Guidance for Pregnant and New Birth Parents and encourages newly pregnant personnel to inform their Line Manager as soon as possible.

b) Pregnant birth parents must carefully read through Safety Services' Guidance for Pregnant and New Birth Parents and seek clarification if there are any points they do not fully understand.

c) Line Managers are expected to meet with their pregnant employee as soon as possible to review the risk assessment for their work activities, taking into account the additional risks arising from pregnancy and breast feeding.

• Safety Services’ guidance provides a good basis for the risk assessment, but bear in mind that it is generic. The risk assessment needs to be specific to the pregnant birth parent and their work activities and environment. A risk assessment form specific to laboratory workers, to use as an alternative to the generic Safety Services' form, is available to download here.
• Mental well-being issues should be considered to prevent anxiety, and possibly a stress related illness leading to absence.
• The risk assessment should be reviewed if the work activities change, any complications develop or if the worker is concerned or stressed about any aspect of their job.

d) SLS Health & Safety are available to provide advice on the risk assessment process and implementation of control measures to preserve the health and safety of the birth parent and unborn child.

e) If unusual or difficult issues arise that cannot be confidently/comfortably handled by the Line Manager and/or SLS Safety, Human Resources, Safety Services and/or Occupational Health should be consulted.

f) Upon return to work, the new birth parent must arrange to review their risk assessment with their Line Manager. This is especially important if they are breast feeding their newborn.

g) Two rooms have been designated as official rest rooms for pregnant and breast feeding workers: the New Birth Parents' Nursing Room, off the atrium on WTB Floor 1, and the DTU staff room in OMS/Carnelley. Sole, private use of these rooms can be arranged. However, in the case of the OMS/Carnelley facility, this has to be outwith standard coffee and lunch break times. Arrangements can be made with, and further information obtained from, Reception (for the MSI/WTB/JBC/DC room) or the DTU Health & Safety Adviser (for the OMS/Carnelley room).

h) Note: there are other procedures relating to pregnant and new birth parents that are not health & safety related and, therefore, fall outwith the scope of this document. See the UoD Human Resources web site for further information.

There is also a wealth of H&S related information for new and expectant birth parents on the HSE Web Site.