Smoking at work, what should I do?

[Ferengo]

I'm a none smoker and I'm not a big fan of others around me smoking, but I do tolerate it.

Recently at work we have been moved into a new office. There's a double door from our office, then a single door at the front onto the steps. The steps are where people smoke. The single door is always left open and the double door doesn't shut right.

I'm first in the door when you come in so I get it all. With the weather getting hotter they have started to fully open the double doors.

I complained to my boss and she agreed it wasn't on. She complained to the Manager/Owner of the company who said to move the smoking box along the building. Fair enough that happened and an email went out to all staff informing them not to smoke at the front doors.

Thing is people are still doing it and he ones that are, are the owner of the company and all the managers.

I mentioned this to my boss again and she said I just need to put up with it. Any suggestions? It's really starting to stress me out.

Cheers.

[Burple]

We had some of this at work recently with people smoking outside our building. I seem to remember something about people having to be at least 3m from buildings when smoking outside work.. I may be wrong.. but it might be worth looking up the relevant health and safety legislation.. :thumbs up:

Pretty sure it depends on if your work has a 'Smoking at work' policy tho.. :argh:

[Livi]

Being an Ex smoker Grant i now know what its like to be on the other side of people who smoke, it smells!!

If it was the case, it has to be 5m from doorway, and if not complied, you can report it to trading standards (i think)

[Gismo]

Request a visit from trading standards, on the quiet of course, cause even though you have a legitimate complaint it's your boss and upper managers that are the problem and even though you are in the right they will make your life hell.
It's a despicable habit and makes the smokers very ignorant ot others, sack them all.
Hope you take as many breaks as they do

[euan]

All the smokers at our place have a designated point halfway across the car park, but I can appreciate the issue. I'd do as has been suggested - loads of info on here:

http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/advice/workplace-hazards/smoking.aspx

[GCA3N]

Yeh there is defo a reporting proceedure and like others have said do it on the qt so to speak. Remember that it is an offence to knowingly let others breach smoking legislation as well as their offence so get them shopped. As far as smoking goes it is a disgusting horrible addiction and should be banned all together. IMO obviously. Lol.


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[KenL]

Can you not just have a polite word with the ignorant fekkers?

[Sheilz]

If the company has a designated smoking area then there's nothing trading standards can do if individuals choose to ignore it, that is taking out of the equation that its the boss. But tbh, and here I'm really sticking my head above the parapet, what did you all do before there was a smoking ban? Sorry, but I think the complaint is trivial . If they were smoking indoors or right next to you when you were eating food I would feel indignant on your behalf but not just for having to walk past them unless of course the individual has a medical condition. I think car drivers are hypocritical moaning about this afterall we don't hesitate to spew the gubbins from our exhausts into the atmosphere without consideration that it is a known factor in the increase in childhood asthma. Sorry I'm the lone voice here.

[Gismo]

If the company has a designated smoking area then there's nothing trading standards can do if individuals choose to ignore it, that is taking out of the equation that its the boss. But tbh, and here I'm really sticking my head above the parapet, what did you all do before there was a smoking ban? Sorry, but I think the complaint is trivial . If they were smoking indoors or right next to you when you were eating food I would feel indignant on your behalf but not just for having to walk past them unless of course the individual has a medical condition. I think car drivers are hypocritical moaning about this afterall we don't hesitate to spew the gubbins from our exhausts into the atmosphere without consideration that it is a known factor in the increase in childhood asthma. Sorry I'm the lone voice here.Sorry Sheilz but i strongly disagree with your logic, it's disgusting that anyone should have to walk through the disgusting stench of cigarette smoke and no one should be subjected to it.
The analogy to exhaust fumes is hardly a fair comparison

[Scottie]

are you getting the smoke coming into your office through the door when open or is it just the smell.

Ask for the doors to be kept closed until you get the situation resolved.




I'm a none smoker and I'm not a big fan of others around me smoking, but I do tolerate it.

Recently at work we have been moved into a new office. There's a double door from our office, then a single door at the front onto the steps. The steps are where people smoke. The single door is always left open and the double door doesn't shut right.

I'm first in the door when you come in so I get it all. With the weather getting hotter they have started to fully open the double doors.

I complained to my boss and she agreed it wasn't on. She complained to the Manager/Owner of the company who said to move the smoking box along the building. Fair enough that happened and an email went out to all staff informing them not to smoke at the front doors.

Thing is people are still doing it and he ones that are, are the owner of the company and all the managers.

I mentioned this to my boss again and she said I just need to put up with it. Any suggestions? It's really starting to stress me out.

Cheers.

[Scottie]

Sorry Sheilz but i strongly disagree with your logic, it's disgusting that anyone should have to walk through the disgusting stench of cigarette smoke and no one should be subjected to it.
The analogy to exhaust fumes is hardly a fair comparison


oh wait a minute......

it's just as disgusting having to work along side people who either have a...... BO problem or a bad breath problem....... or the people with the I must wear as much after shave or perfume as possible brigade.....


hence why I asked it is just the smell . if it is then you just have to get on with it cause the rest of us can't say anything about a person with a hygiene problem..... if however he is breathing in the actual smoke then that's a disgrace and the company should be sorted out.

[GCA3N]

Sorry shielz have to agree with alan here it's a poor analogy u have used too. Sorry to sound harsh but car use is a Neccessity, smoking isn't and no one should have to breath in others second hand smoke. Btw do u smoke ?

[audrey]

Gotta say I agree with Shielz here. How did people cope when you could smoke inside now they are complaining about smoking outside :frown:

No one should have to breathe in anyone else's smoke but as Fi said if its just the smell don't think there is much you can do.

BTW before anyone asks YES I Do Smoke :yes nod::thumbs up:

[Sheilz]

Hey guys its ok to disagree no need to apologise. However I disagree with your disagreement. Car exhaust fumes makes for a very good comparison. Car exhaust fumes has had a devastating impact on childhood asthma. Not only do pedestrians have to smell the fumes they have to inhale them too. And to suggest all car use is essential is blatently not true. Are you saying 20 -30+ minis hurtling around the countryside through towns and villages is essential!? Come on folks at least be honest. You're letting your addiction to minis cloud your view of cars and the damage they do to people's health and the environment. The anti-smoking lobby (fascists in my opinion) has done a good job demonising smokers. We are not the devil incarnate and while I can't speak for every smoker I'm pretty confident in saying that I'm defo not ignorant. Does this mean non-smokers are by corrollary not ignorant?

[Sheilz]

oh wait a minute......

you just have to get on with it cause the rest of us can't say anything about a person with a hygiene problem.....


Oddly enough fi, challenging folk who have poor hygiene is one of the questionable perks of my job LOL

[audrey]

My nephew who has asthma recently started a new job a few days into it he had a serious asthma attack couple days later the same thing happened inhalers not helping much. He went to the doctor who did all the usual tests turns out he thinks it could be caused by exhaust fumes from traffic as he waits on a really busy road for the bus. According to the GP standing by a busy road for 30 mins you will have as much carbon monoxide in your lungs as a 20 a day smoker

[GCA3N]

So I presume you guy are giving up your cars and cycling from now on :lol:

[Sheilz]

So I presume you guy are giving up your cars and cycling from now on :lol:


We should for sure. Though I'm a smoker I have never smoked in my house a) hate the stale smell and makes the place dirty b) didnt smoke when I was pregnant c) only smoker in the house. My youngest son also got asthma which was also put down to exhaust fumes. He was the only one who had a low pram it being the fashion at the time where as his older sibs had been in traditional big prams. I can remember feeling quite ill myself on the daily walk to school because of the intensity of fumes coming from the snail pace traffic. My first grandchild is due in December and needless to say 'Grandma' is buying a big pram to make sure 'coffee bean' has some protection from airborne pollutants.
I'm not defending smoking. I enjoy my cig but wouldn't encourage anyone else to start. Lke the majority of people I try to not let it impact on other people. I'm sure it does at times but tbh on the scale of things its not that important not when compared to the impact of other 'bad habits' a passing whiff of cig smoke is nothing compared to a whiff of toxic exhaust fumes. These things need to be kept in perspective.
(I wont start on the evils of drinking)

[Mon the fish]

The point I think is the concentration of smoke at pub entrances etc now - whilst exhaust fumes are as bad, no-one gets close to 4 cars all belching fumes making a cloud - whereas that's sometimes what you have to walk through to get into buildings

[Ferengo]

Sheilz, I started at my job after the smoking ban was in place. Therefore I have never had to deal with smoke there.

I can't ask them to move as it's the boss/owner of the company.

I also couldn't report it. For one it would be obvious it was me even though a couple of other people don't like it either. Also I'm quite a direct person and don't mind saying things as they are but it has been said and still carrying on.

With regards to where they are smoking. They won't keep the doors closed as the room isn't air conditioned, neither does it have any windows. Regardless of smell, nicotine and any link toxins will travel further than the smell. So even if you can't smell it, you can still be inhaling it.

Guess I'll just have to put up with it.

[Ferengo]

Also Sheilz, I completely agree with you on the matter of cars. I think some cities have done the right thing by banning them from the centre. Also with newer cars having less pollution and the drivers being rewarded via lower car tax. Things on that front are moving forward. As they have done with smoking. Greener cars are coming out but not greener cigarettes. The only option is to reduce the impact they are having on others, thus the smoking ban. Similar if you think about it to pedestrianising certain parts, Thus a car ban for areas.

Not all of us need to use our cars, agreed. I get a lift from the guy round the corner to work. If i used my car he wouldn't want to get in it as he loves to drive. Therefore I car pool. I need my car for getting my band equipment from gigs, to rehearsals. Also going to Ice hockey, even though it's only 15 mins up the road (Walking) it's a heavy bulky kit. Add to that we now have a baby and all the stuff you need to take for them. I could buy a big gas guzzler but I like the MINI and it's kinder to the environment then a Subaru Imprezza.

[Sheilz]

Sheilz, I started at my job after the smoking ban was in place. Therefore I have never had to deal with smoke there.

I can't ask them to move as it's the boss/owner of the company.

I also couldn't report it. For one it would be obvious it was me even though a couple of other people don't like it either. Also I'm quite a direct person and don't mind saying things as they are but it has been said and still carrying on.

With regards to where they are smoking. They won't keep the doors closed as the room isn't air conditioned, neither does it have any windows. Regardless of smell, nicotine and any link toxins will travel further than the smell. So even if you can't smell it, you can still be inhaling it.

Guess I'll just have to put up with it.


Could you take in a desktop fan? Might prompt them to ask why you need it and thus an opening for you to bring their smoking at the doorway into conversation without it being in the form of a complaint. Other avenue is through your union if you have one, failing that you need to contact Environmental Health. They will log your complaint, will visit the premises unannounced and your bosses won't have a clue who has brought the authorities in if you ask them to respect your need for discretion. Just because they're bosses, doesn't put them above the same regulations as anyone else.
When the smoking ban came out we were directed to write to our clients to inform them that they needed to abstain from smoking three hours before we visited them. Well you could just imagine what would happen there - LOL they'd be standing at the door with a fag hinging between all their fingers so that we wouldn't cross the doorstep! Needless to say no letters were sent out. Like we haven't enough paperwork to do and besides its a bit cheeky telling folk not to smoke for us visiting. We're usually unwelcome visitors!