The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also implemented the Pregnant Workers Directive (92/85/EEC), which prescribes additional obligations for employers of pregnant employees. Once an employer has been notified that an employee is pregnant, has given birth within the past six months or is breastfeeding, the employer must take steps to identify any particular risks eg:
- heavy lifting
- standing or sitting for long periods without proper breaks
- exposure to any harmful substances
For further information on risk assessments for pregnant employees see the HSE website.