APPENDIX 24
Memorandum by the Health and Safety Executive
(MS 30)
ABOUT THE
HEALTH AND
SAFETY COMMISSION
AND THE
HEALTH AND
SAFETY EXECUTIVE
(HSC/HSE)
HSC's purpose is to protect everyone in Great
Britain against risks to health or safety arising out of work
activities; to conduct and sponsor research; promote training;
provide an information and advisory service; and submit proposals
for new or revised regulations and approved codes of practice.
HSE is a non-departmental public body (NDPB)
sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and it is responsible
for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety
arising from work activity in Britain.
HSE's job is to help HSC ensure that risks to
people's health and safety from work activities are properly controlled.
This includes the protection of mothers' health and safety while
they continue to work during their pregnancy and when they return
to work after the baby is born.
HSE is submitting evidence for the sub-committee's
consideration on what training/advice it provides to health professionals
who advise pregnant women and new mothers.
HSE evidence on the provision of training for
health professionals who advise pregnant women and new mothers
Each year approximately 350,000 women continue
to work whilst they are pregnant. 69% of these women will return
to work soon after giving birth. In the last five years HSE has
received nearly 400 complaints relating to the health and safety
of new and expectant mothers.
Some hazards in the workplace may affect the
health and safety of new and expectant mothers and of their children,
therefore working conditions normally considered acceptable may
no longer be so during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. HSE
has recently revised its guidance to employers—"New
and Expectant Mothers at Work—a guide for employers"—on
protecting the health and safety of new and expectant mothers.
This was published in December 2002. In reviewing the guidance,
concerns were raised that there was no guidance aimed directly
at women to clarify and explain what their employers were required
to do to protect their health and safety. In addition, stakeholders
supported the idea that by giving advice to health professionals
they would better be able to help and advise their patients.
As a consequence, HSE is publishing on 24 March
2003 two free leaflets; "New and Expectant Mothers Who Work—a
guide for employees" and "New and expectant mothers
at work—A guide for health professionals". Both leaflets
provide advice about employers' responsibilities for the health
and safety of new and expectant mothers and their children. They
will be available on HSE's website.
The health professionals guidance outlines some of
the issues of concern and how to recognise them (if a pregnant
or new mother is experiencing problems which may be caused by
her work) and what the health professional can do to help resolve
any health problems—ie looking to the cause of the problem.
HSE also jointly sponsored, with the Department
of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions, a distance
learning programme for GPs and health professionals. The programme
was launched in October 2000 and is run by Staffordshire University.
The programme, Occupational Health Matters
in General Practice, is designed to help primary care practitioners
develop a better understanding of both the occupational health
problems of their patients and their occupational health responsibilities
as employers for their own staff. Included as part of the programme
is information on protecting the health and safety of new and
expectant mothers.
For HSE, encouraging the take up of this programme
among primary care professionals, and publishing the free leaflet,
contributes to recommendation 19 of the HSC's Occupational Health
Advisory Committee's report and recommendations on Improving Access
to Occupational Health Support. The report is a joint initiative
between HSC/E and Department of Health, and was published in July
2000 alongside Securing Health Together—A 10 year occupational
health strategy for Great Britain.
Angela Wearne
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