Smoke-free legislation guidance for workplaces
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has produced a guidance pack for workplaces containing details of what employers and managers must do when the smoke-free legislation comes into effect on 30 April 2007.
From today, the guidance pack will be available to download from www.spacetobreathe.org.uk and all workplaces will receive copies through the post by 15 April.
Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the HPA, said: “It is just over six weeks until Northern Ireland goes smoke-free and we strongly encourage all employers to carefully read this guidance pack. It clearly sets out what they need to do come 30 April in order to protect their employees, customers and visitors from the dangers of second-hand smoke. This legislation affects all enclosed and substantially enclosed workplaces and public places including, work vehicles and public transport.”
Over 100,000 copies of the pack will be sent to businesses and councils across Northern Ireland. Guidance will be made available regarding the size, positioning and number of no-smoking signs required under the smoke-free legislation and the pack will include free no-smoking signs and a sample smoke-free policy.
A leaflet about the smoke-free legislation will also be available in Cantonese, Urdu, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and Slovak from 21 March on: www.spacetobreathe.org.uk.
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Notes to the editor:
Additional supplies of the signage and guidance will be available free of charge from each district council’s environmental health department.
For media enquiries contact:
Rosie McGaughey or Jenny Dougan at the HPA on Tel: 028 9031 1611.
