## No Smoking Policy

 

## Contents

 
1. Preface 
 
2. Introduction 
 
3. Policy statement 
 
4. Implementation and operation 
 
5. Employees who smoke  
 
6. Practicalities 
 
7. Appendix 
 

## Preface

Smokefree England - 
The Health Act 1st June 
2006. 

The Act is intended to protect people from second hand smoke and requires enclosed or substantially enclosed premises to be smoke free: 

- If they are open to 
the public 
 
- If they are used as 
a place of work 
 It is the Council's objective to make nosmoking a requirement in and around Council premises and in vehicles used on Council business.  This policy sets the framework to ensure that comprehensive and consistent controls for a smoke free workplace exist. Substantially enclosed means rooms which have a ceiling or a roof and any openings in the walls that are smaller than half the total area of walls. The legislation also applies to vehicles, including those privately owned but used for work purposes. 

There is widespread recognition that smoking is damaging to the health of smokers and the effects of breathing in other people's tobacco smoke is an important health concern. All employees are entitled to breathe air unpolluted by tobacco smoke and prohibitions on smoking are now common in many public and work places. 

## Introduction

 
Visitors to Council Premises This policy is directed to all those on Council premises and is not restricted to employees. 
The public smoking ban does not apply in parts of care homes or service users' homes, however management will, where possible: 

 
- Where staff make 
regular visits to people who smoke, ask service users and those who may be with them not to 
smoke when a Council worker is present and shortly before 
 

## Policy Statement

- Organise work 
patterns so workers are not expected to make consecutive visits to houses in which they are exposed to passive smoking  
This policy applies to all employees, Members and visitors and service users on Council premises. The Council is committed to the wellbeing of its workforce and is committed to ensuring that non-smoking is the expected standard for employees on Council premises. It is the Council's policy to protect its employees from second hand smoke and to have a total smoking ban on or in all Council premises including vehicles used by employees on Council business but excluding parts of care homes for clients, sheltered housing units, council premises leased by others and council dwellings. The Council will, continue to publicise the availability of smoking cessation support and alert employees to the hazards associated with smoking. The policy also applies to entrances/exits of Council premises.  It is hoped that smokers will adopt a responsible attitude in this respect and not congregate near to entrances in order to smoke; as such areas are part of Council premises. 

Chief Officers, Heads of Service and Managers are responsible for making their employees aware of this Policy and ensuring its implementation within the areas of their control. A complaint against an unauthorized smoker should be taken up with the line manager or supervisor in the first instance. Should the matter not be resolved satisfactorily or breach of the policy continues, (counseling and smoking cessation sessions are available and should be made available to the employee who should be dealt with sympathetically) normal disciplinary procedures should be introduced.  
Where further guidance is required the Employees Relations section of Human Resources should be contacted.  

## Implementation And Operation

 Where employees have taken up cessation support but have not stopped smoking in the workplace, referral to the Occupational 
Health/Welfare section 
should be made in order 
for an assessment of the situation and the provision of advice to the employee and management regarding the way forward. If an employee refuses a reasonable offer of assistance and continues to refuse to comply with the policy she/he will be dealt with via the Council disciplinary procedure. 
 

## Employees Who Smoke

Employees who smoke will be responsible for adapting to and abiding by the ban. 

Management may identify a number of employees who either cannot or will not stop smoking in the workplace.  It is important that such situations are approached sensitively because it is recognised that employees who smoke will experience difficulty in adjusting to the smoking ban. Consequently the Council will continue to provide support for such smokers via Occupational Health, by making available on request general information, including sources of help, for employees who wish to reduce or stop smoking. Advice and support for staff who wish to stop smoking will be provided by the PCT Stop Smoking Service. Staff can make direct contact with the service by phoning: 0208 532 6284. 

 
The service offers a range of support for people who are trying to give up smoking. This includes working with a trained adviser, either one-to –one or part of a group. Groups meet for one hour once a week for seven weeks. Individual support is offered on a weekly basis for five weeks. Everyone will be offered Nicotine replacement Therapy 
(NRT) and Zyban, available on prescription. Evidence shows this kind of support combined with NRT or Zyban can significantly increase your chance of quitting. A specialist service is available for pregnant women and their partners.  

## Practicalities

Signposting of Smoking Restrictions Building Duty Holders are responsible for ensuring prominent No Smoking signs are displayed in key areas of the Council premises(s) for which they are responsible. The no smoking signs must be displayed at all public areas of buildings and in Council vehicles so that they are visible and meet the following standard: For buildings: 

- A5 in size 
 
 
Obtaining the Correct Signs The signs can be obtained free of charge from: 
http://www.smokefreeeng land.co.uk/content/ordermaterials.html Ashtrays Building Duty Holders are responsible for ensuring ashtrays are removed from all workplaces under their control. 

Potential Employees Human Resources are responsible for ensuring that: 

- Include the 
international red "No Smoking" symbol which is at least 70mm in diameter and the phrase, "It is against the law to smoke in these 
premises".  
- Potential 
employees are made aware of the Councils nosmoking policy. For vehicles; 
 
- The international 
red "No Smoking" symbol which is at least 70mm in diameter 
- Job adverts 
indicate that the Council operates a no-smoking policy on its premises. 
- Contracts of 
Employment indicate that employees are not allowed to smoke on Council premises. 
 
Example of a "No smoking sign", to be displayed at all public areas of buildings. 

 

## Practicalities