Smoking ban

[robd]

As a non smoker i'm curious to get peoples opinions on this,in our office no steps have been taken to prepare for the smoking ban.
Religiously some people use any spare time to go for a fag break,and i just find it hard to believe they'll be able just walk in and suddenly stop,after all were creatures of habit.
what's the feeling in your office?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

We already have a smoking room but most go out onto the landing so wont make much change.

[johnnyp]

Our office is a no smoking building if the girls and boys want a fag they go out in to the yard or sit on the wall out the front The d.o.m maid it clear at work tme learning NO SMOKING IN THE BUILDING Im not to fussed but some of the lads get the right hump if any one smokes inside .

[POSTMAN]

I know it's not RM's fault but i'm well pissed off
A few of us usually go up at 7-ish and 8-ish to the smoking room,coffee and a fag,bit of a chat,but most of all for the GMTV babes,and the news.

And more important than that,the London travel watch babe Alexis Green

I used to like Gemma Hadley but she's gone now GEM

We will now have to go outside obviously which is a pain,nowhere to sit ect

But i've got a pic off the tv of Alexis,so i can see her where ever i go

[POSTMAN]

Moved this into Blue shirts.

I got told last week by my Lino that we aint even allowed to smoke in the yard/car park we have to go off the property

Is that right,i understand in buildings ect but not a f***ing car park surely!!
Any ideas on this!!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Moved this into Blue shirts.

I got told last week by my Lino that we aint even allowed to smoke in the yard/car park we have to go off the property
!!

When the nationwide smoking ban comes in are you still allowed to smoke outside ?? on will Nanny Blair send his PC PC to stop you.

[phantomshare]

Latest from CWU

To: All Branches with Postal Members

Regional Health and Safety Forums and Regional Secretaries



Dear Colleagues,



Smoking Rooms in Royal Mail Buildings, Smoking Shelters and Outside Designated Smoking Areas on Royal Mail Premises



Further to previous Letters to Branches and BOB Paragraphs on the new "Smokefree" legislation, this is to inform Branches and Area Safety Reps that the revised Royal Mail Group Smoking Policy is still to be finalised by the Royal Mail Board - a decision having been deferred by the board at it's meeting on 21 March.



All Smoking Rooms in Scotland closed in order to comply with legislation introduced on 29 March 2006 and smoking rooms in other RM group Buildings will be closed and be locked on 2 April in Wales, 30 April in Northern Ireland and finally on 1 July in England when the new legislation comes in to force in those parts of the UK along with Royal Mail Group's new Smoking Policy of which we await finalisation and publication.



Questions have been raised regarding the future use of former smoking rooms, existing smoking shelters and new outside designated smoking areas. The questions fall into 3 main areas:-



· Will Smoking Shelters be retained and modified to meet the new smokefree legislation ?



The Union has been pressing Royal Mail to provide Shelters which meet the new legislation by modifying and where necessary moving existing shelters. Royal Mail's present position to provide no new shelters and to close and decommission all existing Shelters which do not comply with the new legislation (which is probably all of them). The Union has made strong representations, asking them to reconsider their position and provide compliant shelters. The Royal Mail Board's final decision on this is awaited as mentioned above.



· What will happen to existing smoking rooms when they close ?



We have asked that consideration be given as to whether existing smoking rooms can be used for other social and welfare use following closure. The following has been confirmed by the Royal Mail Group Head of Health:



The Royal Mail Group Smoking Policy allows for local consultation between management and Union representatives for local matters (e.g. reallocation of use of smoking rooms)





· How will the new outside designated smoking areas be determined and decided upon ?





The following has been confirmed by the Royal Mail Group Head of Health:



Smoking will only be allowed in locally agreed and designated areas. Such areas will be agreed on between the site manager with appropriate expert input and the local CWU Union representatives.



Any queries relating to this LTB should be directed to the HS&E Department at CWU Headquarters.

[POSTMAN]

phantomshare Top man,answers a lot of questions.
Although i'll try and get conformation on the 'yard/car park' bit. I guess my rep will have to have a meeting about it.

Smoking will only be allowed in locally agreed and designated areas

Can't see that being a problem unless my Dom and Lino start playing the c***.
Seems my lino's jumped the gun.

Cheers mate.

[Fishyfingers]

Don't smoke myself but before the ban up here in the frozen north we had a no smoking building and the guys that did smoke did so in the yard, no special shelter though,now the yard is a no smoking zone so they. have to go just outside the gates.

[POSTMAN]

Don't smoke myself but before the ban up here in the frozen north we had a no smoking building and the guys that did smoke did so in the yard, no special shelter though,now the yard is a no smoking zone so they. have to go just outside the gates.

But what's the problem with smoking in the yard?as long as you're not blocking things and there are no shuttles coming in ect.
At the mo a lot of us smoke just outside(relief managers an all) our yard doors while we're waiting for the missorts run.
Maybe our rep can sort summin out but i do think it's getting silly.

[Geordie]

There is an earlier Letter to Branches which explains the position in more detail.

The PO wanted a ban on the premesis, including yards, perimiters etc, but have relented after pressure from CWU.

The rule is no smoking 4 metres from doors and windows.

You do of course still have the right to fart, belch, burp, and generally smell as much as you wish indoors.

[POSTMAN]

Cheers Geordie,and i think the last bit's quite handy actually

[woemc]

Our office is non-smoking, but we do have a designated (bus) shelter for smoking.

Others just stand outside the main employee enterance doors where there is seating avaliable as well as a overhead canopy to keep you dry-ish!

The old smoke room has now been redecorated and is now a quiet/reading room as main canteen has tv and piped radio/music.

[plodding postie]

Thank God they have banned smoking within office's. We have people in our office that start work at 6am and by 6.30 they were outside having a smoke and a read of the early morning paper. What do these people do when they travel abroad for a holiday.. "quick stop the plane I need a fag". Some people might not like the fact they are employed to do a job and as far as Civil rights are concerned...Please people stop whinging about the smoking ban, if you want to smoke take it in your own time outside the location of other people....No offence meant but it really gripes me when Im left sorting the mail while a smoker can tottle off to have his quick "10 mins" smoking break. This is one of the best decisions Royal Mail has taken up, a right forward step in my opinion.

[side_door]

Years ago most offices and factories had tea breaks morning and afternoon which gave people the opportunity to get away from their workplace to do things like have a smoke. Progress means that now in most places I have worked you go in, there are no breaks and you usually end up working through your lunch break as well. Perhaps we should go back to the system of having breaks so that there is not this unfairness that plodding postie speaks of.