As a means of highlighting the need for employers to better cater for expectant employee and new mothers, The Trades Union Congress (TUC) in conjunction with charity Maternity Action publishes guidance on “Pregnancy, breastfeeding and health and safety” to accommodate and raise awareness of protecting women in the workplace.
The guidance promotes for the existing legal protections that protect women in the workplace to be correctly adhered to. According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, nearly 50% of mothers stated that either their employers do not initiate discussions about risks or that not all risks were prepared for. The guidance seeks to equip health and safety representatives with the appropriate tools to ensure that pregnant women and new mothers are confident and satisfied that their needs are being met and risks to their safety are being adequately considered. The guidance discusses the practicalities of different physical risks to mental considerations. Also, it discusses the legal implication for employers and different actions they could take to protect their employees.
If you require further information, please follow these links: Pregnancy, breastfeeding and health and safety: A guide for workplace representatives, tuc.org.uk, 1 May 2019 and New Health and Safety guidance for union reps: making workplaces safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, maternityaction.org.uk, 15 May 2019.
