Regardless of where you work, your job duties probably require you to do some heavy lifting either frequently or occasionally. You must be careful when you lift heavy objects, of course, as lifting can cause a variety of serious injuries. If you are pregnant, though, you should think twice before lifting anything.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is not possible to say exactly how much weight is safe for a specific pregnant woman to lift. This is because the determination depends on a variety of factors. Still, lifting heavy objects can be detrimental to pregnant women and their unborn children.
Lifting heavy objects can be dangerous
While lifting heavy objects can be risky for anyone, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to injury. In fact, heavy lifting can increase a woman’s chances of having both a pre-term delivery and a miscarriage. Moreover, the normal hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can interfere with a woman’s joints, making heavy lifting even more difficult and dangerous.
Employers should provide reasonable accommodations
Both federal and state laws provide valuable protections for pregnant women. If you are pregnant, you likely have a legal right to request reasonable accommodations during your pregnancy. These accommodations are steps your employer takes to allow you to perform your job duties more easily during your pregnancy. Allowing you to skip the heavy lifting might be a reasonable accommodation.
Rather than risking your health and the health of your unborn child, it makes sense to request reasonable accommodations. Ultimately, if your employer refuses to provide you with them, you may have a valid pregnancy discrimination complaint.