Pregnant and breastfeeding/nursing students
In pregnancy and during breastfeeding, there are special reasons to pay extra attention to the risks in the work environment. Pregnant and breastfeeding students are entitled to an individual risk assessment of their study environment.
Risk assessment
An individual risk assessment shall be carried out for pregnant and breastfeeding students. The course responsible Department is responsible for carrying out the risk assessment.
For specific instructions see risk assessment template and document "supporting work environment documents for pregnant and breastfeeding persons in laboratory activities”. The document for laboratory activities can be used as guide for risk assessment concerning other educational activities than those in laboratories.
The Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulation on Pregnant and breastfeeding workers regulates what kind of work may be carried out by pregnant and breastfeeding workers. The purpose of this Regulation is to prevent pregnant women, newly delivered women and women who are breastfeeding from being exposed to factors or conditions at work that may pose a risk of ill health or accidents. Region Stockholm has guidelines stating that pregnant employees may not work in ambulances or transport the deceased after the 19th week of pregnancy. This may affect students' opportunities to complete their education in those environments.
In connection with on-site training (VFU) KI and, also, the organization where the student will be located, must carry out a risk assessment. Therefore, contact needs to be made with the placement so that a joint risk assessment can be established.
- Information from a student about pregnancy/breastfeeding to a study counsellor, course coordinator or other representative of KI.
- Risk assessment shall be carried out by the person with work environment responsibility at the course responsible Department
- The risk assessment must be carried out for each individual course and for VFU placement as soon as the course has received information from the student.
- In connection with VFU, KI shall carry out a risk assessment in collaboration with the VFU placement, which is later supplemented by that organization's own risk assessment.
More information
Swedish Work Environment Authority's theme pages on pregnancy and breastfeeding (in Swedish)
Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulation on Pregnant and breastfeeding workers (in Swedish)
Public documents and confidentiality (CI) (in Swedish)
Laboratory activities:
Supporting health and safety documents for pregnant and breastfeeding persons in laboratory activities at KI
Activity-based education:
Integrated learning (Region Stockholm) (in Swedish)
Region Stockholm's checklist for risk assessment for pregnant women working in the region (under the heading Risk assessment for pregnant employees) (in Swedish)