Employers should be more alert
to the health and safety needs
of pregnant employees
following reports that the number of
biths in the UK is now at its highest
since 1991, according to experts at
Evac+Chair International.

Mark Wallace, MD, says: “It is a
legal requirement that employers
carry out a risk assessment when
they find out an employee is
pregnant and this includes assessing
the employee’s personal evacuation
plan.
“Any risks discovered in the
assessment should be quickly
mitigated, including ensuring that
appropriate equipment such as an
evacuation chair, is available. It may
be necessary to train staff to ensure
they can assist and help make a swift
evacuation.

In a recent survey by Evac+Chair
International, the company reported
that 40% of businesses said they
owned evacuation chairs but did not
use them in evacuation drills and
15% of respondents have never
carried out a practice session with
the equipment.

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