Source · Select Committees · Petitions Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 43
We recommend that the Government urgently engage with the Health and Safety Executive and relevant...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government urgently engage with the Health and Safety Executive and relevant stakeholder groups to review HSE’s monitoring and enforcement activity specifically relating to employers’ health and safety obligations to pregnant women. Any barriers to at-scale enforcement of these obligations must be quickly resolved, to ensure that appropriate enforcement action is taken when employers fail to meet their legal obligations—especially as more employees continue to return to work in person. The Government should also require HSE to record and publish details of enforcement action specifically relating to the safety of pregnant women in future.
Government Response Summary
The government's response did not address the recommendation concerning the review of HSE's health and safety monitoring and enforcement for pregnant women or the requirement for HSE to record and publish related enforcement details. Instead, it discussed planned extensions of redundancy protections for new and expectant mothers.
Paragraph Reference:
43
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
Throughout the pandemic, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has supported Great Britain’s public health response in the workplace, by adopting a risk-based approach. HSE have used health and safety at work legislation, government guidance, and best available evidence to ensure employers are aware of and take the necessary controls to reduce the risk of transmission in the workplace. to do so, should control risks to prevent harm to pregnant women. The HSE provided specific coronavirus guidance to pregnant workers explaining employers’ obligations, including when to suspend a pregnant worker on full pay. Since March 2020, HSE received 247 queries relating to pregnant workers and coronavirus, which equates to just 0.37% of all enquiries received. HSE does record all breaches of health 6 Government Response: Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on and safety where enforcement action is taken; however, there were no cases recorded for breaches of risk assessment for pregnant workers. HSE often resolves issues through advice and guidance, particularly where problems arise through employers misunderstanding their responsibilities. All breaches of health and safety requirements reported to HSE for pregnant workers are fully considered. HSE’s response is proportionate to the risk and seriousness of the breach. In many cases, breaches of health and safety requirements can be resolved by providing employers with advice and guidance. HSE’s staff use their professional judgement to decide the best course of action in each individual circumstance to ensure risks in the workplace are controlled. Where enforcement action is taken, a summary is published on HSE’s website, which has a database of enforcement notices and prosecutions. HSE will engage with stakeholders to identify any areas of its guidance for pregnant workers that remain unclear.