I have been in my present job a year and I have never had any training in lifting heavy items like 17 inch CRT monitors.
Anyway I am pregnant and although I can still lift PCs am really struggling to pick up a 17" CRT monitor. I seem to have lost all strength in my stomach muscles. Our caretaker who has done the lifting course is refusing to help me.
I am still able to do all other parts of my job. Do you think I am reasonable to refuse to lift a 17" monitor. Have other techs had training in lifting heavy objects?
At every job I have had I have been promised manual handling training and never received it. This includes jobs that involved actively moving large bulky objects for most of the day but anyway I digress ...
I would have thought generally it was reasonable to move a 17" monitor without specific training.
However as you are having difficulty (and more importantly are pregnant) I think you should raise the subject with your Line Manager / SMT. Don't lift anything you are not comfortable with for now, and seek medical advice to protect yourself and your baby. If at all possible use a trolley or other lifting aid to prevent injury. It's simply not worth the risk.
yh i think i can basically 100% agree with the above, i would highly recommend you just speak with ur line manager or the SMT so that they understand.
Shame that the Site Manager wont help, i know if i was one i would in this situation least i anyone could do is help you.
anyhow congrat'sand dont do anything you feel is uncomfortable.. u and ur baby are more important then a 17" monitor thats for sure!
James
Originally Posted by frances
What are the caretakers reasons for refusing the lift out of interest? I think two can play that game though - next time his computer monitor breaks & he / she needs a replacement .... lol!
I HATE lifting those 17" CRT monitors - especially when for some unknown reason they are stored on the floor so it's even more strain lifting them up. I barely touch them if I can help it these days let alone if I were pregnant.
I've not been given heavy lifting training - but I do the usual basics like bent knees etc - but even still I would sometimes get twinges in my lower back for a few days after lifting these monitors or base units.
Found this info out, basically notify them in writing you are pregnant and require an assessment of the risks to your health due to work tasks.
New and expectant mothers - Frequently asked questions
Notification of Pregnancy
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require that potential risks to women of child bearing age, new or expectant mothers which arise from work processes be assessed and controlled. In general, the risk assessment for all workers should sufficiently address such risks but, employers have a duty to undertake additional risk assessments when a woman informs them that she is pregnant. New or expectant mothers are defined as those women who are either pregnant, have given birth within the previous six months, (including still births after 24 weeks), or are breast-feeding.
Last edited by somabc; 11th September 2008 at 12:21 AM.
it's pretty unreasonable to expect you to lift crt monitors if you physically cant, and very ungallent of the staff to expect a pregnant lady to lift heavy stuff.
Dont tell them you wont, that you can't. You are struggling so you shouldn't be doing it. If you drop one on your toe you will know about it
Congratulations as well great news!
as SOMABC says you are entitled to a risk assessment talk to your line manager/union rep
Your caretaker needs a kick in the goolies - miserable git.
Pregnant, being made to lift a heavy object?
Basically you should not be doing ANY heavy lifting. Anyone who makes you do heavy lifting is going to be in a world of pain should you damage the baby (or more likely damage your back, get a hernia or some such).
You can also get a note from your doctor that will forbid you from lifting anything over a certain weight, and no employer would dare go against this.
Remember your employer has a duty of care, which means they have to do everything that they can to make sure you do not come to harm whilst at work.
No training here either.
Our Site Support Staff are generally very good [helpful] However I would not ask them to lift or move any items I am not willing to move myself [or assist with the move] I certainly do not ask my Technician to move any heavy items. I prefer to do this myself or assist the Site Support Staff. I can say this because I am male and as a result unlikley to fall pregnant.
I certainly would not expect someone who is pregnant to be lifting items which are heavy or oddly shaped so that they are difficult to support.
I my opinion your school/caretaker may be adopting a position which is quite unfair/unreasonable, regardless of the legality of the situation which has been pointed out in an earlier post.
Wouldn't it be a shame if you "tried to lift" one of the monitors and it fell, leaving your pal the caretaker with millions of shards of horribly sharp glass to pick up?
Yes, that would be awful.... oops
Your line manager should have done a risk assessment the moment you told them you were pregnant. Ask personnel for a copy of the risk assessment - in it there will be a section about lifting. It is a legal requirement to do this risk assessment, if they haven't done it you should report them to HSE so that they can be fined.
Erm, have you ever tried to smash a monitor? It takes a little more than dropping it on the floor from 4 foot up.
We had a monitor 'fall' off a bench from only around 3' and it literally exploded when it landed front first on to a carpeted floor....made a big bang too. Scared the kids.
Last edited by tech_guy; 11th September 2008 at 09:23 AM.
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