Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to (a) understand and (b) mitigate the negative effects of night shift work on maternal health.

Reducing ill health at work is an important area of focus for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as outlined in their strategic objectives. One of the ways this is achieved is supporting employers to protect their workers’ health and keep them in the workforce. Having considered the impact of shift work on health and safety, HSE has published guidance for employers to support them in managing the risk (Managing shift work [HSG 256]).

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 all employers have a duty, so far as it is reasonably practicable, to protect the health, safety, and welfare at work of all their employees. Specifically, the The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess health and safety risks to employees and to put in place arrangements to control those risks. Therefore, if an employer assesses shift work as a risk they should introduce control measures including those outlined in the guidance.

In addition, employers have a specific responsibility to complete an individual risk assessment for workers who are pregnant, are breastfeeding, or have given birth in the last 6 months. They must review the existing general risk management and controls for pregnant workers and new mothers and discuss any concerns they have about how their work could affect their pregnancy. Employers must also account of any medical recommendations provided by their doctor or midwife. The individual risk assessment should then be regularly reviewed.