04/01/2006 - Council introduces no smoking policy

Welwyn Hatfield Council has made a healthy start to the New Year by introducing a Smoke Free Workplace policy.

This ensures that all Council buildings and other places where Council employees or contractors work are free from cigarette smoke. This protects smokers and non-smokers from the dangers of passive smoke.

Michel Saminaden, Chief Executive of Welwyn Hatfield Council, said:’ We want to do everything we can to make our environment cleaner and healthier, and this policy is a major step in that direction.’

Advice to employees and contractors who smoke is that they may smoke before or after work, or go off site in lunch breaks provided the smoke doesn’t affect others.

This also means that smoking should not take place on land near the Council’s premises, any building’s main entrance, fire escape route, window, door, or opening; and that there will be no designated smoking areas around Council buildings.

In addition, smoking is not permitted in Council owned or leased vehicles or in another employer’s premises or when working in a private residence.

Employees required to work in premises where people are smoking may leave the area if the smoke materially affects them.