A survey of HR professionals demonstrated strong support for the British Medical Association’s call for a workplace smoking ban.
With Baroness Finlay’s private member bill proposing a smoking ban in public places going forward to the House of Commons, doctors this week delivered 4,500 letters to the Prime Minister calling for a ban.
According to the BMA, approximately 3m UK workers are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke and around 1.3m workers are exposed to secondhand smoke at least 75% of the time. Workers in lower socio-economic groups run the greatest risk of exposure.
TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, backed the call for a ban. He commented: “Ending the exposure of workers to secondhand tobacco smoke would not only save hundreds of lives every year, it would also help reduce the levels of asthma and other smoke-related diseases in the hospitality and other related industries.
“Asking employers to prevent exposure to tobacco smoke voluntarily clearly has not worked, and there is growing evidence that other proposed solutions, such as introducing increased ventilation and no-smoking areas, have only had minimal effect.”
Nearly three-quarters of the 203 professionals polled on HR Gateway voted for smoke-free workplaces, while the remaining 29% didn’t want to see a blanket ban.
Vanessa Stebbings of HR Gateway Consulting said: “All employees have the right to work in a comfortable environment, but as well as health, fairness is also a major issue to be taken into account.
“For those employees taking cigarette breaks, the issue of hours often arises and decisions need to be made prior to any policy implementation, about how the working time lost will be redressed.”
5 Responses
Yes I Smoke
I have lived in both Australia and England and thankfully the ban on smoking inside is possible in Australia whwre it is mostly warm enough to sit outside or in the shade. However I will not be going to New York, Ireland or any restaurants or hotels where I am not allowed to smoke, my choice financial opportunity loss. The problem really arises though where the legislators are not prepared to allow even those who do not mind working in a smoking environment. If a business is set up and the staff accept and are prepared to work in these conditions when they are recruited, what right to the legislators have to then change the rules on the business owners and potentially reduce their income by draconian regulation.
Non-smoking Agenda Well Advanced in Australia
While we in Australia are usually accused of following British and US innovations five to 10 years later, I’m pleased to say that our non-smoking in public agenda is apparently well ahead.
Australian Government offices have been non-smoking for at least 10 years and all States and Territories have followed. A variety of legislation within our States and Territories (unfortunately Federalism means every State and Territory has different legislation)prohibits smoking in public areas where food is served except in open spaces. Moves are now being made in several States to ban smoking in all public places.
Although I’ve never smoked, I do sympathise with the smokers who seem to be getting the rough end of the pineapple, especially since smoking is a legal activity from which governments rake in huge taxes and duties (which they say are required to cope with smoking-related illnesses).
The problem in workplaces is now managing the number and duration of ‘smoke breaks’ staffs take.
I’ll be interested to see how the UK experience pans out.
Anti-smoking
We operate a system of “non-smoking” premises. Staff are permitted to smoke in their staff rooms, provided that there is no objection from anyone. If there is the option is you smoke outside.
Having a family of asthmatics and a father who suffers from COAD, smoking in public places actually has curtailed his social life as any hint of smoke sets off an asthma attack from him. My daughter similarly finds it hard to breathe if she is exposed to a smoky environment – again curtailing her social life. Even where there is a “non-smoking” area, there is still a degree of smoke that filters across.
It seems sad that sociable people are prevented from being able to enjoy certain activities because of a habit enjoyed by others that encroaches into their “air”.
I certainly support no smoking within all public buildings – in open areas maybe this would not be necessary!
Nicky Hillier
I agree with the smoking ban
I have been lucky enough to work in a smoke free environment for a good number of years, some companies have also offered help to those who wish to give up.
I don’t go to pubs, clubs, bars or restaurants where smoking is allowed – it just spoils my evening out.
More should be done to prevent young people from smoking – that way it become less and less of problem.
I agree with the Ban
As a long term smoker i agree that smoking should be banned from public places. I think this will aid a lot of people to give up the habit which is dangerous to the smoker as well as others around them.
With regard to how to cope with people leaving the workplace to smoke, my current company operates a flexi time scheme and smokers take their cigarette breaks out of their flex accrual.