No Smoking Policy

Tuesday 16 April 2013

No Smoking Policy

There have been a number of complaints from staff that cigarette smoke is drifting into reception areas and offices, through people smoking in front of entrances and open windows.

Just to remind colleagues, UEL’s policy is that smoking is not permitted in or near to any of our buildings. Those members of staff, students or visitors wishing to smoke area asked to comply with signs around building entrances which indicate the minimum distance people need to stand away from the building. Used smoking materials should be safety disposed of where cigarette bins are provided.

Smokers are asked to take all reasonable measures to prevent their smoke being a nuisance to non-smokers. For example, smokers should refrain from smoking near doorways or open windows, or where smoke could drift into a non-smoking area.

Click here to view the ‘No Smoking Policy’ policy.

Why does UEL have this policy?

A smoking ban, making it illegal to smoke in all enclosed work places in England, came into force on 1 July 2007 following the Health Act 2006.

The law is intended to reduce the number of deaths caused by passive smoking.

Passive smoking can damage your body because smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic (harmful) chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Passive smoking from all forms of tobacco is harmful.

Frequent exposure to other people’s smoke can increase the risk of lung cancer, even if you are a non-smoker.

Passive smoking also increases the risk of other smoking-related conditions. These include:

coronary heart disease
heart attacks
angina (chest pain)
heart failure
strokes
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs)

If someone suffers from a pre-existing illness, such as asthma or other respiratory illness, then it may be exacerbated by exposure to cigarette smoke.

Fire Risk

In addition to the risk to your health, and that of others, smoking can also create a fire risk.

Smoking materials are one of the most significant causes of accidental fires in the workplace. The recent introduction of legislation which prohibits smoking in the workplace (principally due to health concerns) should have a positive impact on reducing the number of fires resulting from the careless handling or discarding of smoking materials. But smokers should consider carefully whether the area in which they are smoking is safe and clear of combustible materials, dispose of their cigarette butts in a suitable receptacle and only smoke in permitted areas.

What can you do to help?

If you are a smoker, there are ways in which you can help protect others around you from passive smoking.

The best advice is to stop smoking. It will not just benefit you, but everyone around you. It is difficult, but there are people who can help you, such as your GP or our Occupational Health and Safety Unit, who can provide advice and support.

If you do not intend giving up smoking, then we would ask you to be considerate of other people by complying with UEL’s smoking policy, to avoid smoking where there is a large concentration of people and not to smoke near doorways and open windows. Otherwise, you could be causing someone unintentional harm.

For more information or help about smoking, please contact the Occupational Health and Safety Unit.