MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS: HOW TO COPE-IN VARIOUS SITUATIONSC-AT WORK:

MAKE USE OF YOUR SAFETY OFFICER

Fortunately, women at work now have a possible ally, created by the recent Health and Safety At Work Act. By now, most work places should have Safety Officers, and they are the people to approach if you think your job is particularly hazardous or you can see ways of cutting down the accident rate. The Act means the general public have become more aware of the need to prevent accidents rather than patching up the results afterwards.

The Safety Officer could be the person to arrange for’ adequate rest rooms for women who suffer from the cramps and need somewhere quiet to relax until they have recovered, particularly if you can help him or her to see how much the rest would improve efficiency and production. Some firms have already given an excellent lead. I know one merchant bank in the City which provides model accommodation, with showers and a bidet in the cloakrooms and upholstered benches where any girl who needs to can relax in comfort. And although I’d agree that merchant banks are in a happy financial position, where they lead others can follow — eventually. Your Safety Officer may also be the person to approach about rearranging the work you do, so that you don’t have to tackle the most dangerous jobs at your most vulnerable time. Some firms may be able to fix this for you; others just won’t be big enough to be so flexible. But there’s no harm in talking it over. Often just being aware of the hazards helps you and those around you to avoid them.

Many women find that shift work is a considerable burden at period time. Some firms have already discovered for themselves that their women employees work better on an afternoon shift than they do on a morning one. But night shifts are a particular problem. It’s hard enough at the best of times for your body to adjust to the strain of being awake and working when it would much rather be resting and asleep. At period time it’s even more difficult. So if you can arrange your own shifts, try to fix it so that you are on days rather than nights before your period is due. You need more rest than usual at this time — not less. If the worst comes to the worst and you have to work nights during your period, then at least try to sit down whenever you can and put your feet up during your rest breaks. If there’s somewhere where you can slip away and lie down and relax during your rest break, that’s even better. But I know it isn’t possible everywhere and in every job.

Another serious cause of stress at work is the need for speed. Before a period many women slow down. There are already firms who recognize this and take it into account. But others have not yet learnt to cope with it. If you are your own boss, or you work on your own, at least you can slow down when you need to, but if you are a member of a team your variation of speed could upset a lot of people. Once again, it’s something that needs facing and talking about and once again your Safety Officer is probably the person to approach. Too much speed can cause stress which can cause accidents. You never know; a slower speed might turn out to be safer for a lot of people, not just you.

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