Shelter Guidance
Smoking Shelters
While smoking cigarettes may be fairly unhealthy practices these days, and one that is decreasing as people seek a healthier lifestyle, most companies still have a significant number of smokers within their workforce. Under most circumstances, it is not advisable to allow smoking within the workplace, as this is both unhealthy, and unpleasant for staff that does not choose to smoke, not to mention potentially dangerous if your business uses any volatile substances. Having stated that of course, it is still incumbent upon a business to provide staff with appropriate smoking shelters even if they do not approve of smoking, as when staff is outside smoking, they can pick up illnesses that can impact their attendance at work.
A prefabricated smoking shelter needs to allow staff who chose to smoke to have an area where they can go in order to enjoy a cigarette without having to be exposed to inclement weather, or to impose their smoke on non smoking staff. One of the biggest advantages of offering smoking shelters for staff is that it centralizes the issue, so that the mess and smell associated with smoking can be kept to a relatively small area. Having control over where staff smoke by placing a shelter for them can also allow you to prevent smoking in key areas such as those associated with materials storage and food preparation.
The actual construction of a smoking shelter does not need to be particularly complex. The simplest possible structure such as a roof with some protection against the wind is sufficient. The amount of space enclosed by the portable smoking shelter needs to be large enough to allow a certain amount of air flow within the unit, but not too large as to impact on space that could be used more productively. Walls should not reach to ground level.
One of the most important aspects of planning a smoking shelter for staff is that it is located away from areas where other staff are likely to be, and also should be within easy reach of the building. The reason for this is to ensure that staff actually uses the shelter rather than just hanging around by the nearest door, which can be unpleasant for non smokers.
In terms of furnishing the interior of the smoking shelter, you can be as accommodating as you want. Many employers choose to provide no seating within the shelter, as this can lead to staff taking longer breaks and impact on productivity, on the other hand, having seating within the shelter will raise the morale of smokers, and keep them happier in their work.
One thing that is vitally important when providing a smoking shelter is to ensure that a bin for butts is included within the structure. This will prevent disposed cigarette ends being allowed to be discarded at will, and keep the overall area much tidier than otherwise they might be left if smokers simply drop their finished cigarette butts on the floor. While it may not be your main priority to embrace smoking at work, by managing the issue sensibly, it can produce less of an impact on other staff, and the environment outside the office.
Key points of smoking shelters.
Guidance on smoking shelters The information given here is for guidance only Siting of shelters
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Smoking shelters
Since implementation of the Restriction on Smoking Regulations, on 1st July 2007, workplace smoking rooms are no longer be permitted.
Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public places and enclosed shared workplaces.
There is no obligation to provide smoking shelters for employees or customers but such shelters may be provided if they are not by definition themselves enclosed public places or workplaces.
Therefore, smoking shelters must not be structures:-
1. Which are covered by a roof or ceiling and which have more than 50% of the perimeter made up of one or more walls and similar structures (or either of them).
2. Which are used as, or as part of, a place of work by persons who are employees.
In effect any smoking shelter must have at least half of its sides completely open.
Ideally a smoking shelter should not communicate directly with an enclosed public place or workplace (e.g. via an open window or open door) as this would effectively make it an extension of that place. Smoke from the shelter should not discharge into a public place or workplace.
Planning considerations
The erection of a smoking shelter or change of use of a structure to that of a smoking shelter may require approval to be sought via an application to the Planning Department.
Litter
It is advised that ashtrays, cigarette bins and waste bins be provided at smoking areas and smoking shelters to minimise litter from smoking.
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