How to manage risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers

Employers have a duty of care for all of their workers, but they have extra responsibilities towards women of childbearing age.

This article helps employers understand the legal requirements of supporting pregnant women, new mothers, and those who could become pregnant, for example, when undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. You’ll learn:

 

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• The laws that protect pregnant workers and new mothers at work

• When risk assessments are required

• Common risks for new and expectant mothers

• How to complete risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers

• Where to access extra health and safety support for your business

• FAQs about risk assessments for pregnant employees and new mothers

 

Which laws protect pregnant workers and new mothers?

 

Employers must comply with several UK workplace safety laws and supporting regulations that protect pregnant workers and new mothers.

 

• The Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 places a general duty on employers to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all employees. It requires businesses to assess and manage workplace risks and take reasonable steps to keep employees safe.

• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 implements the Pregnant Workers Directive into UK law.

• Regulation 16 requires employers to manage risks to pregnant workers, new mothers, and women of childbearing age.

• Regulation 17 allows a registered midwife or medical practitioner to issue a certificate stating that an employee should not work at night for health and safety reasons.

• Regulation 18 explains what employers must do once they’ve received written confirmation that an employee is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has given birth within the last six months.

• Section 67 of the Employment Rights Act of 1996 requires employers to provide suitable alternative work for their employees if any risks prevent them from carrying out their regular duties. They must offer work on the same terms and conditions before considering a suspension from work.

• The Equality Act of 2010 protects workers by making it illegal for employers to discriminate or dismiss them because they’re pregnant, a new mother, or breastfeeding. Employees with any length of service can benefit from this protection. It also extends to a variety of worker types, including contractors, self-employed workers, agency workers, and apprentices.

• Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations require employers to find a safe and suitable place for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to rest. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also recommends that it's good practice for employers to provide a private, healthy and safe environment for breastfeeding mothers to express and store milk.

 

What is a risk assessment for pregnant workers and new mothers?

Under UK health and safety law, employers must consider risks to women of childbearing age as part of their general risk assessment, and then carry out a specific individual risk assessment when an employee notifies them in writing that they’re:

• Pregnant

• Breastfeeding

• Have given birth in the last six months

A risk assessment defines which workplace hazards are likely to cause harm to new or expectant mothers. The assessment covers an organisation’s workplace and also home environments for remote workers.

Depending on the employee’s circumstances and stage, the assessment may be called a maternity risk assessment, pregnancy risk assessment, postnatal risk assessment, or breastfeeding risk assessment. In practice, these are all part of the same ongoing individual risk assessment process, adapted if the employee's needs change.

Employers must offer the same protections to employees going through IVF treatment. Employees don’t need to inform you about their treatment, but if an employee tells you in writing that they’ve reached the embryo transfer stage, you must legally treat them as being pregnant.

What are some common risks for new and expectant mothers?

Pregnant employees or new mothers face a variety of common risks based on their role, workplace, and individual circumstances. Some jobs involve very few additional risks, while others need more careful adjustments.

Common health and safety risks include the following.

Posture or position

Changes to the body during pregnancy can make everyday tasks more difficult or uncomfortable. Risks in this area include:

• Standing or sitting for long periods

• Poor posture or unsuitable seating

• Repetitive movements

• Poorly designed workstations

• Lack of opportunities to take rest breaks

Working conditions

Some general working conditions can create extra pressure or health concerns for pregnant employees, including:

• Long hours or shift work

• Night work

• Very hot or cold temperatures

• Working at height

• Working alone

• High levels of work-related stress
  

Risk of physical injury

Certain tasks carry a higher risk of injury, particularly as pregnancy progresses. These include:

• Lifting or carrying heavy loads

• Frequent bending, twisting, or stretching

• Physically-demanding manual work

• Slips, trips, and falls
  

• Jobs that involve a high level of physical contact

• Unsuitable personal protective equipment

Risk of exposure to harmful substances

Exposure to certain substances can pose serious risks to both mother and baby. These may include:

• Lead

• Radioactive materials

• Toxic chemicals such as mercury, pesticides, and solvents

• Carbon monoxide

• Infectious diseases

• Fumes, dust, or biological agents

More detailed information about the different types of risk is available in the annexes of the Pregnant Workers Directive 92/85/EEC.

How to complete a risk assessment for pregnant workers and new mothers

The steps below explain how to complete an effective risk assessment for pregnant employees, new mothers, and breastfeeding workers.

Know who is responsible for the assessment

In most SMEs, a new mother or pregnancy risk assessment is normally completed by one of the following:

• The employee’s line manager

• A health and safety representative

• An HR manager or HR advisor

• A trained member of staff with responsibility for health and safety

The person completing the assessment must be competent to assess workplace risks and familiar with the employee’s role and working environment. They must also have the authority to make reasonable adjustments.

Complete an individual risk assessment

Once an employee tells you in writing that they’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have given birth in the last six months, your designated person must carry out an individual risk assessment.

This assessment should focus on the specific employee, their role, and their working environment. The aim is to identify any health and safety risks that could affect them or their baby and to agree on practical ways to reduce or remove those risks.

Different working conditions could affect the employee in different ways. When completing the assessment, think about:

• Their daily tasks

• The equipment or machinery they use

• Their working hours and shift patterns

• Any physical demands of the role

• Their usual place of work, including any homeworking arrangements

It’s important to involve the employee in this process. They’re often best placed to explain how their job feels in practice and what adjustments might help them.

Analyse your individual risk assessment results and make a plan

After completing the assessment, share the results with the employee and discuss any risks identified, how you plan to control them, and any changes that may be needed to their duties, hours, or workplace. This should always be a two-way conversation, so encourage the employee to ask questions and raise any concerns.

If you identify any risks, take clear action to remove or reduce them. Follow this order of steps:

1. Adjust working conditions to avoid the risk: Make temporary changes to duties, working conditions, or hours where possible, for example, lighter tasks, extra breaks, or altered shift patterns.

2. Offer suitable alternative work: If adjustments won’t remove the risks, offer suitable alternative work on the same terms and conditions, including pay and benefits.

3. Suspend the employee on full pay: If suitable alternative work isn’t available, suspend the employee on full pay for as long as the risk remains.

Always confirm any agreed actions in writing so everyone is clear about what will happen next and when changes will take effect.

Share your risk assessment findings with your worker

A risk assessment isn’t a one-off exercise. As pregnancy progresses or circumstances change, new risks can appear, and your earlier adjustments might not be suitable anymore. Overcome this by reviewing the assessment whenever:

• The employee’s duties or working environment change

• Their health or medical advice changes

• They raise new concerns

• They move into a different stage of pregnancy, such as from the second to third trimester

• They return to work after maternity leave

Regular reviews check that the support you’re offering continues to be appropriate and effective.

Record maternity risk assessment findings

If you employ five or more people, the law requires you to record your significant findings, including:

• The hazards (things that may cause harm)

• Who might be harmed and how

• What you're doing to control risks

Need more help with health and safety in your business?

Managing risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers can feel complex, especially when you’re also juggling day-to-day responsibilities. But getting the process right matters for your people and your legal compliance.

For practical guidance on strengthening your overall health and safety approach, watch our on-demand webinar ‘How safe are you, really? SME health and safety risks in 2026’. We explore the common areas growing businesses overlook and offer clear, straightforward steps you can take to close those gaps.

Other helpful resources

• 6 signs health and safety is slipping in your growing SME. Our blog reveals key signs that health and safety might be slipping based on insights from expert health and safety consultants and the results of two surveys conducted by Breathe in December 2025. These surveys involved 100 managers, leaders and employees from UK SMEs with between 10-250 employees and focused on how small to medium businesses manage health and safety in practice.

• Breathe’s parental rights guide examines employment law and discusses the steps businesses can take to create supportive, family-friendly environments and accommodate flexible working.

• Supporting Mothers: Best Practice Guides for Employers from Working Families offers advice on statutory maternity leave and pay, IVF support, and maternity strategies and calendar.

• Maternity Action, the UK’s leading maternity rights charity, provides detailed guidance for employers and employees. It’s highly recommended as a resource you can offer to new and expectant mothers.

FAQs about risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers

What are the four main legal rights for pregnant employees?

A pregnant employee has the right to:

• Take paid time off work for antenatal appointments, including the time to travel to the clinic or GP, without loss of pay. You can’t ask the pregnant employee to make up the time or arrange their appointments outside of their working hours.

• Take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, regardless of how long they’ve worked for you. This includes 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional maternity leave.

• Receive statutory maternity pay or allowance if they meet qualifying conditions. Those who don’t qualify may still be able to claim maternity allowance. Employers must provide clear information about these entitlements.

• Be protected against unfair treatment, discrimination, or dismissal. This includes any disadvantage relating to pay, promotion, training, or workload. For example, if an employee declares a task too risky, you can’t dismiss them for not undertaking the work properly. You should take another look at their risk assessment and modify it accordingly.

Do I have to do a risk assessment for a pregnant employee?

Yes, it is a legal requirement under UK health and safety law to carry out risk assessments for pregnant employees. Once an employee tells you in writing that they're pregnant, breastfeeding, or have given birth in the last six months, you must carry out an individual risk assessment. The assessment must look at the employee's specific role and workplace to identify and manage any risks to their health and safety.

What are the five things a risk assessment should include?

A good maternity risk assessment should cover five key areas:

1. Any hazards you’ve identified that could affect the employee or their baby

2. An assessment of who might be harmed and how

3. An evaluation of any existing control measures

4. How you could remove or reduce any remaining risks

5. Regular reviews and updates as the employee's circumstances change

You should always complete the assessment with input from your employee and tailor it to their needs.

What are the four types of risk assessment?

There are several types of risk assessment, including:

• General workplace risk assessments, which apply to all employees

• Individual risk assessments, carried out for a specific employee

• Task-based risk assessments, focusing on particular activities

• Specialist assessments, such as display screen equipment or manual handling assessments

A maternity risk assessment is a form of individual risk assessment that focuses on the needs of pregnant workers and new mothers.

Do I need to carry out maternity risk assessments for remote workers?

Yes, it’s just as important to assess risks in a pregnant or new mother’s home working environment as much as the on-site workplace. Any accidents or incidents that harm a new or expectant woman (or her child) while working from home must be recorded.

Risk assessments should include an audit of a homeworkers’ workstation, covering desks and chairs, to check they’re suitable for extended periods of work and don’t pose a risk to posture.

Health and Safety Executive regulations also apply to workers who use display screen equipment (DSE), such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, daily, for more than an hour at a time. Employers are required to complete DSE assessments for both homeworkers and their on-site colleagues.