Reporting smoking in the workplace

[MikeOxlong]

TheLordJohn said:

I don't winge for the sake of it, thank you. I've been all kinds of places, seen and done all kinds of things, all before I was 25.
I don't need to be patronised by some pleb online who hasn't a clue what he's talking about; merely making an assumption, and an ass of you.
I get on with the people I like, and want to get on with.
I have no inclination to "bend everyone to my will". I am merely sick to death of breathing in disgusting cigarette smoke whenver i walk around the workshop.

I can hazard a guess that most replying negatively are selfish smokers, and most replying positive are sick of said smokers.

I don't smoke and I assumed because from reading your previous replies on this thread you come across as a self important officious little prick. Why try changing something that's obviously gone on there forever just to suit you? Is working somewhere where everyone is ready to deck you what you really want? Maybe you enjoy punishment. I don't know, I'm just a pleb with no idea what I'm talking about.

[TheLordJohn]

MikeOxlong said:

I don't smoke and I assumed because from reading your previous replies on this thread you come across as a self important officious little prick. Why try changing something that's obviously gone on there forever just to suit you? Is working somewhere where everyone is ready to deck you what you really want? Maybe you enjoy punishment. I don't know, I'm just a pleb with no idea what I'm talking about.

You can't educate pork.
It's nothing to do with being self-important, it's just as simple as disgusting habit that I shouldn't have to suffer for 60 - 80 hours per week.
I'm out.

[WinstonWolf]

TheLordJohn said:

MikeOxlong said:

I don't smoke and I assumed because from reading your previous replies on this thread you come across as a self important officious little prick. Why try changing something that's obviously gone on there forever just to suit you? Is working somewhere where everyone is ready to deck you what you really want? Maybe you enjoy punishment. I don't know, I'm just a pleb with no idea what I'm talking about.

You can't educate pork.
It's nothing to do with being self-important, it's just as simple as disgusting habit that I shouldn't have to suffer for 60 - 80 hours per week.
I'm out.

The smoke won't be concentrated in a workshop.

And FTR I'm an ex-smoker, possibly the worst type

[Vaud]

MikeOxlong said:

I don't smoke and I assumed because from reading your previous replies on this thread you come across as a self important officious little prick. Why try changing something that's obviously gone on there forever just to suit you? Is working somewhere where everyone is ready to deck you what you really want? Maybe you enjoy punishment. I don't know, I'm just a pleb with no idea what I'm talking about.

Would your extend your approach to any other entrenched practice? Bad health and safety practice? The boss feeling up the 16 year old work experience girl? The boss throwing darts at the black worker?

Just because stuff has happened for a long time, doesn't make it right. Especially when it is a right to have a safe working environment.

Poor management holds this country back at times. Back in a shop steward "no change" culture that should have died in the early 80's.

[Davel]

The fact is that it is illegal.

As an Employer, I would be prosecuted for allowing my staff to smoke in my offices and/or warehouses.

I don't know if it still happens but unannounced inspections did take place in some areas when the law changed.

Turning a blind eye to it simply opens employers up to prosecution.

No one smokes in our warehouses whether they are employees or visiting HGV drivers.

If they wish to smoke then they either do it outside or under a smoking shelter and yes some of my staff do smoke but they also know where to do so - and I have an great relationship with them all.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

BHC said:

I agree with blindswelledrat on this.

7 billion people on the planet, I suppose someone had to.

[MikeOxlong]

Vaud said:

Would your extend your approach to any other entrenched practice? Bad health and safety practice? The boss feeling up the 16 year old work experience girl? The boss throwing darts at the black worker?

Just because stuff has happened for a long time, doesn't make it right. Especially when it is a right to have a safe working environment.

Poor management holds this country back at times. Back in a shop steward "no change" culture that should have died in the early 80's.

No I wouldn't because sexual harassment and racism aren't the same as someone smoking a fag in the workshop. If the workshop was as sterile as the McLaren outfit then I would see the point, but it is, from what I have understood a truck workshop. Every workshop like that that I've been near/in has been massive with enormous roller doors to get the vehicles in and out. You'd have to be the world champion of smoking to fill up the place with enough fag smoke to compete with the diesel exhaust and smoke from cutting torches etc. With even one of the doors open it may as well be outside anyway with all the fresh air they let in.

[Vaud]

MikeOxlong said:

No I wouldn't because sexual harassment and racism aren't the same as someone smoking a fag in the workshop. If the workshop was as sterile as the McLaren outfit then I would see the point, but it is, from what I have understood a truck workshop. Every workshop like that that I've been near/in has been massive with enormous roller doors to get the vehicles in and out. You'd have to be the world champion of smoking to fill up the place with enough fag smoke to compete with the diesel exhaust and smoke from cutting torches etc. With even one of the doors open it may as well be outside anyway with all the fresh air they let in.

2 points.

1) You should brush up on employment law and rights.
2) It's not about the total volume of a workspace. Its about having to be close to people that are smoking and not having a choice to breathe in that smoke.

[BHC]

Really, how did we manage for so long with people smoking at work and in pubs around us?

With ease, that's how. Most of us put up with it for decades (I smoked on and off) and we all got over it.

I don't like it when people smoke over me, but I don't complain on the internet about it.

[Vaud]

BHC said:

Really, how did we manage for so long with people smoking at work and in pubs around us?

With ease, that's how. Most of us put up with it for decades (I smoked on and off) and we all got over it.

I don't like it when people smoke over me, but I don't complain on the internet about it.

And you have a whole bunch of cancers to show for it. Wonderful.

Progress isn't all bad. I like that pubs don't smell of stale cig smoke these days.

[BHC]

Vaud said:

And you have a whole bunch of cancers to show for it. Wonderful.

Progress isn't all bad. I like that pubs don't smell of stale cig smoke these days.

Do I?

I am in favour of the smoking ban overall, but I don't get upset because someone smokes near me.

[Vaud]

BHC said:

Do I?

I am in favour of the smoking ban overall, but I don't get upset because someone smokes near me.

Sorry - I meant "we" as in society.

Smoking bans for me are not about the participating customers, it's about protecting the staff who have less choice and greater exposure.

[BHC]

Vaud said:

Sorry - I meant "we" as in society.

Smoking bans for me are not about the participating customers, it's about protecting the staff who have less choice and greater exposure.

Ah, sorry for misunderstanding.

I agree with you, and I do agree that a smoking ban was the right thing (although my mind has a natural aversion to continual legislation which isn't entirely necessary).

But here I just think that grassing them up is a bit too far. Maybe I'm just not very sensitive, but I don't see it as serious enough a crime to bother. I know it sounds odd to be selective with crime, but I would find it hard to make a big deal of it.

[rehab71]

MikeOxlong said:

There was someone like the OP where I work who was a whinger. He found himself a new job because everyone hated him.
Maybe that's what OP should do instead of trying to bend everyone else to his will.

He shouldn't have to find a new job, OP has done nothing wrong!

[hilly10]

We are working on a large construction, some lads started smoking outside the canteen door and the smoke was drifting into the canteen, I bought it to the attention of the site manager in front of the H&S morning meeting. It was stopped straight away. I could not careless what anybody said you should not have to breath in contaminated air

[DervVW]

Feel for the op, can't add much, you are stuck within a rock and a hardplace, best idea is to move, I reckon thats what i'd do.

[Vaud]

BHC said:

I agree with you, and I do agree that a smoking ban was the right thing (although my mind has a natural aversion to continual legislation which isn't entirely necessary).

But here I just think that grassing them up is a bit too far. Maybe I'm just not very sensitive, but I don't see it as serious enough a crime to bother. I know it sounds odd to be selective with crime, but I would find it hard to make a big deal of it.

Agreed. It's a difficult balance. The smoking ban was the right idea and intent in my view but badly implemented as it left smokers with no "smokers room option" that was easy to legislate for.

As for reporting - it's a tough call. Sadly it's not a HSE responsibility but an LA issue (env health IIRC). But a HSE general inspection could trigger a report to the LA as a byproduct of a general inspection... which could be anonymous.

[Pit Pony]

Funkycoldribena said:

yellowjack said:

Keep on reporting to management. Try to push the complaint as high as possible. Keep a diary of every time you reported the issue. Try to take photographs or video of the smoking on the 'shop floor'.

When your reporting/complaining has no effect, take it to the next level, via local council or whoever it is that's responsible for enforcing the rules regarding workplace smoking.

When that doesn't work, quit, engage a lawyer, and sue for compensation. It's constructive dismissal as far as I can see. Also, keep any evidence you collect. Forever. Then, if you are ever unfortunate enough to suffer any kind of lung disease, slap the evidence in front of a judge. People have won cases of this kind even from back before smoking was made illegal indoors at work. The company would be absolutely roasted these days, when the health implications are well known, and, as you say, it has been ILLEGAL! for a good number of years.

Me? I'd like to fking kneecap all the wkers smokers who stand in doorways puffing, or just walk down the street ahead of me, leaving me to walk in a trail of their filthy smoke. I wouldn't last five minutes in a workplace like yours, because I'd just refuse to accept it. Maybe you could just go and sit outside in the fresh air, for as long as it takes for management to come find you and insist you get back to work. Then point out the fact that you are legally entitled to a smoke free workplace, and you'll get right back to work just as soon as the smoking stops.

This season, my local non-league football club has banned smoking in the terraces/stands. They've declared the four corners of the ground to be 'smoking areas' and smoking isn't allowed elsewhere. It's about time too, as I shouldn't have to move to avoid the foul mouthed, chain smoking 'Waldorf and Statler' types who can spoil a match day experience by surrounding you with a permanent cloud of filth. If a football club, and a very minor one at that, can banish the ciggies, surely an employer in 21st Century Britain can manage it?

Blimey,you're a barrel of laughs...

Back in the 80's when I started work in a drawing office, there was an ash tray provided with my other essential work tools. The old guys, in the office used to smoke 40 a day at their desk, and I used to come home smelling of smoke. Gradually times changed, first a smoking office, and a no smoking office, then there was a smoking break room, and a none smoking break room. Then there was a ban on smoking inside (before it became law), with a smoking shed outside, then a ban on smoking on site inside or out, and finally a HR directive to try to avoid employing anyone who might look like they smoked. (Apparently if you fail to look after your own health, then you don't have the intelligence to do the job).

The OP has a right to a smoke free work place, and somehow it's got enshrined in law, so it's totally unacceptable for directors of a company to actually condone what is now a criminal activity. I'd say if they are happy to ignore the law, then their fitness as directors must also be questioned.

I like the suggestion of building up a body of evidence, as this kind of thing is actually worth £XXXXX's in compensation. It's a high risk strategy, but quite frankly the company deserves it.

Did I say I used to smoke a little, but gave up when I realised I couldn't afford beer if I also bought fags? I hate smoking with a vengeance, but I'm impressed by the deviance that hardened smokers seem to have. It's like the more they are pushed into a corner, the more they refuse to admit that they are killing themselves. I work with a really nice bloke, we've become friends, but given his precarious financial situation, I don't get how he and his wife can spunk away £80 a week. I am genuinely impressed that he knows it's bad, he knows it's a waste, and yet he's determined that nobody is going to stop his only luxury in life.

[vournikas]

Vaud said:

I like that pubs don't smell of stale cig smoke these days.

Ah.

Right.

So, it's not a health issue for you but an olfactory one. It's something that offends one of your senses, yes?

[El Guapo]

Draw in a few good lungfulls of diesel exhaust and oil fumes. This will counteract the effects of secondhand smoke.