Heavy lifting at work?

Replies

• lizsmith1982

  Jul 11, 2011 10:06AM

  he can't make you do anything. my job involved heavy lifting and i refused as heavy lifting can pose a risk to both you and your baby. have you been given a maternity handbook? i would contact your HR and explain that you don't feel comfortable lifting...

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• Blue_xStarx

  Jul 11, 2011 10:11AM

  Hi u need to speak to your manager. It is most definitely not ok for you to do heavy lifting again. When pregnant due to hormones ur ligaments and tendons become stretch , not just the. Pelvic ones to assist in birthing but all of them. So you are.more prone to injury. Plus the extra weight u will be carrying will mean you physically won't be able to. Ask to see the guidance he is using on pregnancy policy. He should also do a written risk assessment as to roles you can and can't perform. Im not sure if this is law but is certainly best practice. If they still won't budge get a fit note from doctor to restrict u from doing lifting work. Hope u get it sorted x x

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• KazzieM

  Jul 11, 2011 10:22AM

  The risk to you with heavy lifting is still there once passed the 1st trimester. Your body is producing the hormone relaxin which loosens your ligaments ready for labour but also makes it easier for them to strain or tear. The added weight and position of your growing bump will also make it awkward to lift anything safely and your centre of gravity will be shifting as your bump grows too.

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• dmwils

  Jul 11, 2011 10:55AM

  You should not be doing any heavy lifting at any point in your pregnancy
  
  
  
  Your employer must carry out a pregnancy risk assessment. this will identify the manual handling of loads as a hazard, the harm that could be caused - Hormonal changes in pregnancy can affect the ligaments increasing susceptibility to injury. Therefore suitable a control method must be found to reduce this hazard.
  
  
  
  I work in the health and safety industry and its important you ensure you are adequatly looked after for you and your baby's health. Speak to your HR dept or health and safety officer and request a pregnancy risk assessment - its will ensure your work on the whole is safe and your manager will have to follow any rules put in place.

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• Cas1980

  Aug 12, 2011 10:59AM

  NO WAY! I work in PR and we have some events going on next week, I'm running them but had to send my two colleagues to pick up the promotional materials yesterday as my boss wouldn't let me do it! I feel incredibly useless but it's not worth it, plus my boss would kill me!
  
  
  
  you manager is very very wrong!

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