Smoking

For more information on Smoking click here for the relevant chapter of the TUC guide to health and safety "Hazards at Work

A 2003, TUC co-published report stated that every year 1,200 people in the UK - three a day - die due to passive smoking at work.

Many scientific reports state that passive smoking is a cause of heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases in exposed adults. Exposure of pregnant women to environmental tobacco smoke causes lower birth weight in their babies.

Since July 2007 there has been a ban on smoking within almost all enclosed workplaces across the UK, including bars and clubs. This has greatly reduced the risks from passive smoking through work although some issues still exist for trade unionists. These include workers who visit people in their own homes, smoking breaks and supporting smokers who want to give up.

A TUC guide to negotiating smoking policies in the workplace can be found at:

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/smokingguide2007.pdf

Links

Hazards news and resources on smoking

UNISON Information sheet on smoking in the workplace

HSE: Passive smoking at work (pdf document)

Action on Smoking and Health


The most recent documents available on this subject are:

Smoking bans 'cut heart attacks'

Bans on smoking in public places including workplaces have had a bigger impact on preventing heart attacks than expected, a study has shown.

25 September 2009
Smoking ban has made the world of difference, says TUC

On the first anniversary of the introduction of smoking restrictions in workplaces and public places in England, the TUC says today (Tuesday) that the ban's success is because the law change was backed by strong, simple regulation.

1 July 2008
Use the ban to help staff quit urges TUC

With the smoking ban in English workplaces only days away, the Northern TUC is urging employers not to make life difficult for smokers by banning them from cigarette breaks, but to use the change in the law as an opportunity to help their staff get h...

29 June 2007
Use the ban to help staff quit urges TUC

With the smoking ban in English workplaces only days away, the TUC is today (Wednesday) urging employers not to make life difficult for smokers by banning them from cigarette breaks, but to use the change in the law as an opportunity to help their st...

27 June 2007
TUC urges employers not to delay making workplaces smoke-free

With just under three months to go before all public places and workplaces in England must become smoke-free, the TUC is today (Monday) urging employers to get their act together and introduce smoking bans into their shops, factories, offices, restau...

2 April 2007
Wales TUC urges employers to work with employees when making workplaces smoke-free

As the smoking ban comes into force in workplaces across Wales, the Wales TUC is today (Monday) publicising a guide for union safety reps to help them work with employers in bringing in the ban in a way that meets all the legal requirements, fully in...

2 April 2007



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