Ask Gavin: I’m worried about my pregnant employee in this heatwave. Help!

Here’s what they had to say…

Hi Gavin, one of my employees is four months pregnant. I’m worried about her because it’s getting really hot and I know we’re supposed to be having a heatwave. She works on our front desk so she is inside all day and out of the sun fortunately. She keeps telling me she feels alright and I don’t need to worry but obviously, I will! I don’t think she would tell me if she wasn’t okay because she doesn’t like people fussing over her. Is there anything I should be doing or am I overthinking this?Anon

Gavin's reply was...

Hi Anon,

Thanks for reaching out. I get a lot of questions from employers all the time about how they can support their pregnant employees. And with temperatures on the rise, you’re absolutely right to have concerns.

When you have an employee who is expecting, there are major Health & Safety risks to assess while they’re at work.

From supporting them with their pregnancy symptoms to making adjustments to their workspace by any means necessary, you do need to make sure your employee feels comfortable while working.

“I’m worried about her because it’s getting really hot”

A heatwave brings considerable health risks to non-pregnant staff. So, being pregnant only makes your employee more vulnerable.

My first question would be have you carried out a pregnancy risk assessment? This will help you identify any potential physical or emotional hazards in your workplace that could be putting your pregnant employee at risk.

As part of your risk assessment, you can factor in hot weather risks too.

“She works on our front desk so she’s inside all day”

As your employee works indoors, you should check to make sure the temperature in your workplace is reasonable.

There’s no maximum temperature for workplaces by law, so you can use your own judgment on this.

If any of your employees are complaining that it’s too hot in your workplace, then you should listen to their concerns and address them.

There are certain measures you can take to protect the health and safety of your staff in hot weather, like:

• Making sure the air conditioning is working (if you have air conditioning)
• Setting up desk or pedestal fans
• Opening windows to allow for ventilation and fresh air to circulate
• Reminding staff to stay hydrated and providing cold water dispensers
• Allowing staff to relax their dress codes

Pregnant employees are more at risk of experiencing heat exhaustion than others. For most, heat makes people uncomfortable, but it can actually be dangerous for someone who is pregnant.

So you should take extra care to follow the above steps and review your risk assessment if you have vulnerable people in your workplace.

“I don’t think she would tell me if she wasn’t okay because she doesn’t like people fussing over her”

Making sure your employee is comfortable is key. Even if she isn’t saying she needs any support or adjustments, keep checking in and continue to follow Health & Safety guidance for managing staff in hot weather (I’ve attached some info at the bottom for you).

Remind your employee to take regular breaks and drink water. Keep them on review and be ready to take appropriate measures if you need to.

It may be a good idea to send a company wide email out to all employees, making them aware of the dangers of extreme heat and how they can look after themselves. You could also include resources on self-care during pregnancy too.

As part of the information you send out, it would be a good idea to also include an emergency contact for employees. So if they believe they or a colleague may be experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, they have someone to go to.

If you have any questions at all about managing employees in extreme heat and pregnancy risk assessments, we do offer free advice calls. So to speak directly to an expert, just tap below.

I’ve also attached some guidance below which you may find useful:

• Can my employee refuse to work in hot weather?
• How to conduct a pregnancy risk assessment

All the best,

Gavin