The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is urging employers not to wait until next summer before banning smoking in their workplaces. The TUC have published a new guide - 'Negotiating smoke-free workplaces' - in which it says that 'rather than put off the inevitable for a few months, employers should be sitting down now with employees to work out the most sensible ways of implementing the new smoke-free regulations.'
The guide also says that 'around a quarter of all employees smoke. Most workers are already employed in factories, shops and offices that are free from tobacco smoke, but some two million work in establishments where smoking is still permitted everywhere, and another ten million where smoking is allowed somewhere on the premises.'
The guide identifies the need for a smoking policy in every workplace, compiled through consultation with staff which will offer help for smokers who want to give up. The smoking policy should also cover what happens to smokers who persistently breach the ban as well as what breaks will be available for staff who will soon have to go outside to light up.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber commented:
"For every month that employers wait to introduce a ban more employees will die or become seriously ill as a result of second-hand smoke at work.
'With around 700 workers dying every year from smoking-related diseases caused by passive smoking at work, there is no sensible reason why employers can't be sitting down with staff now to talk about how the ban will happen and how to make every workplace a safer, healthier place to be."
The guide - Negotiating smoke-free workplaces - can be found by clicking the following link: Trades Union Congress - negotiating smoke-free workplaces - a guide for union representatives
