pregnant and dangerous job, please help!

surreysaver

Person_one wrote: »

Continuity of care benefits the client (ie, person being cared for) just as much if not more than it benefits the carer.

There are more important things to worry about in this case.

Person_one

surreysaver wrote: »

There are more important things to worry about in this case.

But dismissing it as a 'friends reunion' was unnecessary.

dickydonkin

mumps wrote: »

Is that for me or OP?

Sorry mumps - we must have posted the same time. The quote was actually for the OP.

It is good to see however, that your organisation seems to have their finger on the pulse - having an 'in house' safety professional shows that your company cares about the safety of its staff.

Sadly (and I am testament to this) many companies stupidly deem health & safety staff as an unproductive expense - but that's another story.

So its not illegal then to ask them to sign it? Just shouldn't ask them under duress or force them?

DVardysShadow has answered this perfectly.

As I have stated earlier, when a risk assessment has identified a significant risk, the duty holder should be concentrating their efforts to reduce that risk to an acceptable level - not ignoring the situation and asking the employee to sign the document in an effort to deflect liability - the reality is that it won't.
There is no legislation that I am aware of that suggests that signing a risk assesment is illegal or otherwise - however, acknowledging in the form of of a signature that the assessment has been read and understood makes sense - whether that is on the document itself or on a register.

As I understand from this situation is that the company seem willing to allow the OP to work in an environment that is not compatible to her current condition.

Again - by ignoring the findings and recommendations of a risk assessment is an unwise strategy because if something does go wrong, not only is the company potentially liable - the employee may also be deemed as contributing to the situation - therefore forget about compensation - although the welfare of the unborn child and mother must surely take priority here.

surreysaver

Person_one wrote: »

But dismissing it as a 'friends reunion' was unnecessary.

Its a business. Employees should not be emotionally attached. The business would not be emotionally atteched to them.

Wonder_Womble

Hey Feisty,

just popped on here to read your thread after recognising your name from ttc thread. Sorry to hear you're having so much stress at what should be an enjoyable time for you. I work in job similar to yours although I am community based and lone working. Three weeks ago I got kicked in the stomach very hard by a client which was very upsetting during the 2ww.

I understand that the original two options that the company came up with - to move to another house or to do paperwork at head office were not suitable for the company. So what other stategies have they offered to put in place?

Surely there are risk assessments in relation to the support of individual clients and the strategies that will be used in order to minimise risk or diffuse challenging situations. Do these risk assessments state that 3 members of staff should be on duty? If that is the case, then that should be three members of staff who are able to adequately support the client. And in that case then you are not able to adequately support, just as someone with a broken arm would not be able to provide adequate support.

The company has a duty of care to you (and therefore your unborn baby), to other members of staff, and to the clients you support. If you are not able to apply the relevant strategies when a person presents with challenging behaviour then yourself, your clients and other staff are all being placed at risk.

In relation to the risk assessment, I have signed risk assessments in the past in relation to my own health and well being. I have also refused to sign risk assessments when I haven't been happy with the content.

If I was in your shoes I would join the Union asap and then ask for support from them.

I would write to my employer to state what you are not happy with the risk assessment and ask for H&SE to become involved. They may not know your clients, but they can talk to you, to other staff, and can read client files and the strategies that are in place to support these clients. And no, it is not a breach of confidentiality when a person is at risk!

It may be a case though that you have to alter your working hours for the duration of your pregnancy in order to be able to work in the other house. Flexibility is necessary from both parties and this may be where you need to be flexible.

HTH

Feisty_Fairy

surreysaver wrote: »

That should not come into it. It is a business, not a friends reunion.

The clients are the people i look after NOT the staff!

Feisty_Fairy

Person_one wrote: »

Continuity of care benefits the client (ie, person being cared for) just as much if not more than it benefits the carer.

My point exactly Thankyou!:D

Feisty_Fairy

Wonder_Womble wrote: »

Hey Feisty,

just popped on here to read your thread after recognising your name from ttc thread. Sorry to hear you're having so much stress at what should be an enjoyable time for you. I work in job similar to yours although I am community based and lone working. Three weeks ago I got kicked in the stomach very hard by a client which was very upsetting during the 2ww.

I understand that the original two options that the company came up with - to move to another house or to do paperwork at head office were not suitable for the company. So what other stategies have they offered to put in place?

Surely there are risk assessments in relation to the support of individual clients and the strategies that will be used in order to minimise risk or diffuse challenging situations. Do these risk assessments state that 3 members of staff should be on duty? If that is the case, then that should be three members of staff who are able to adequately support the client. And in that case then you are not able to adequately support, just as someone with a broken arm would not be able to provide adequate support.

The company has a duty of care to you (and therefore your unborn baby), to other members of staff, and to the clients you support. If you are not able to apply the relevant strategies when a person presents with challenging behaviour then yourself, your clients and other staff are all being placed at risk.

In relation to the risk assessment, I have signed risk assessments in the past in relation to my own health and well being. I have also refused to sign risk assessments when I haven't been happy with the content.

If I was in your shoes I would join the Union asap and then ask for support from them.

I would write to my employer to state what you are not happy with the risk assessment and ask for H&SE to become involved. They may not know your clients, but they can talk to you, to other staff, and can read client files and the strategies that are in place to support these clients. And no, it is not a breach of confidentiality when a person is at risk!

It may be a case though that you have to alter your working hours for the duration of your pregnancy in order to be able to work in the other house. Flexibility is necessary from both parties and this may be where you need to be flexible.

HTH

Hiya hun, thanks for nipping over, i am having a bit of a nightmare lol, they havent offered any other options no, they have done a risk assessment but its not enough i dont think, i would be the 3rd member of staff, the 3 clients usually have 3 (2 full time and 1 part time) but i agree with you in that i really should be the 4th member of staff. I am goint o see the CAB troday if i can get an appt, so will will keep you all upto date.

Thanks and seeya soon xx

FBaby

have you discussed in details how the regorganisation of your work would actually take place, ie, what you really need is not to have direct contact with clients on your own. Is it feasible that you can take on tasks in the house that will not involved direct contact, and that when you do have one-to-one, another staff is there at all time? Also, have you ever been hit or threatened before? I think it is unrealistic to except totally safety for a say 1% chance that something could happen (with even less chance that it would harm you or the baby). Also, I believe it is your responsibility too to protect yourself (ie, you might not want to bring up issues with clients that could potentially make them upset/angry etc...).

I used to work in a mental health home (involved patients with learning difficulties too) when staff did get threatened at times (and involved overnight shifts). One of my colleague was pregnant, but she continued her employment the entire time. As a matter of fact, the moment the patients knew she was pregnant, they became over protective of her.

Js_Other_Half

At our local authority children's respite home a pg staff goes straight into the office (whether they want to or not). Please look after yourself and the baby.