DSE and pregnancy: the individual risk assessment employers owe

Pregnancy is one of the few situations where a generic DSE self-assessment is clearly not enough on its own. A separate and more specific duty applies, and it sits in different regulations from the DSE ones.

Where the duty comes from

Regulation 16 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to assess risks to new and expectant mothers where the work could involve risk to her or her baby, and to take action to avoid that risk.

The trigger is written notification. Once you have been told in writing that an employee is pregnant, has given birth in the last six months, or is breastfeeding, the individual assessment duty is live.

What actually matters for screen workers

Changing body shape

Desk position, seat depth and chair fit all change through a pregnancy. What worked in month three may not in month seven.

Back and pelvic discomfort

Common, and made considerably worse by long static sitting. Lumbar support and frequent movement matter more than usual.

Circulation and swelling

Sitting still for long periods contributes. A footrest and regular movement help.

More frequent breaks

Including access to a toilet without asking, and somewhere to rest. Regulation 25 of the Workplace Regulations requires suitable rest facilities for pregnant workers.

Fatigue and nausea

Affects concentration and tolerance for long screen spells, particularly early on.

Practical adjustments that usually help

• Move the desk out or use a keyboard tray so there is room to sit close without leaning.
• Add or improve lumbar support, and check seat depth as things change.
• Add a footrest, which helps both posture and circulation.
• Agree more frequent breaks explicitly rather than leaving it to be negotiated each time.
• Allow more home working or a flexible start if commuting is difficult.
• Make sure there is somewhere to rest, as the Workplace Regulations require.

Review it, do not do it once

The duty is ongoing. What is comfortable at twelve weeks will not be at thirty. A sensible cadence is a review each trimester and whenever the employee raises something.

The return to work after maternity leave is also a review point, particularly where someone is breastfeeding or the role has changed.

Recording it

Keep the individual assessment separate from the general DSE record, treat it as special category health data, and limit access to the people who need it to act.