Health And Safety Training: Pregnancy In The Workplace

A woman’s experience of pregnancy is a wonderful and special part of life. Carrying a foetus in your stomach for nine months is a long period of time. During these 9 months it is important to keep you and your baby safe and healthy in and out of the workplace. The workplace can be a hazardous environment for pregnant women depending upon the job you have. It is essential that you become aware of workplace hazards so you can avoid risks at all costs.  Below are some of the health and safety training tips for pregnant women to follow. Pregnant women should undergo health and safety training to understand how to take care better care of themselves while in the workplace.

The first step is informing your employer that you are pregnant. Some of the tasks you perform normally may not be suitable to carry out while you are pregnant. Your employer can adjust the type of tasks you perform to reduce the risk of injury to you and your baby. Exposure to chemicals can affect the health of the foetus. It is important to make sure your workplace environment is free from hazardous toxins and fumes. Health and Safety Training guidelines suggest that pregnant women take breaks more often. Pregnancy can be tiring and there may be days where you experience morning sickness and weakness. Find out from your employer if there is a room that you can use to rest in between. Fatigue and stress can trigger a miscarriage or early labour so you need to stay well rested even while you are working.

In order to keep hydrated keep a water bottle at your desk. This will limit your number of trips to the water cooler and will prevent you from getting dehydrated. Many women who are experiencing pregnancy for the first time are embarrassed or shy to ask for help from their colleagues and co workers. Health and safety training experts encourage pregnant women to ask for assistance and share their work load with co-workers. Once the baby is delivered you will have to spend some time away from work and someone will have to cover your tasks. It is best that you consult with the co-worker that will be taking over for you while you are away, so you can help them understand your tasks and responsibilities.    

Health and Safety Training experts have confirmed that lifting, pulling or pushing a heavy load can cause unneeded stress to the foetus. Have someone else do any heavy duty tasks for you so that you can maintain a safe and healthy environment for you and your baby. You should also consult with your employer and human resources department to find out what benefits and facilities are offered to expectant mothers. Health and Safety training will help you ease the stress of pregnancy and keep you at your best till you are ready to deliver your baby. If you have any concerns regarding your tasks and workplace environment, health and safety training experts recommend consulting your doctor.