Smoking in the workplace
I was doing a company visit with our in-house risk assessor and while waiting to see the client, Pieter mentioned that the company we were seeing had a lack of non-smoking signs. This sparked a conversation on smoking in the workplace. What many people may not know is that it is in fact illegal to smoke in any other place other than in a designated smoking area.
The
Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act No. 83 of 1993 stipulates that smoking may only be allowed in designated smoking areas.
So what is a “Smoking area”? A “Smoking area” in terms of the National Building Regulations Act, is a dedicated room for smoking purposes only.
Therefore, it is prohibited to smoke in all office areas, toilets, kitchens, living quarters and other areas within a building. The act makes specific mention of what a designated smoking area constitutes. A “Smoking area” in terms of the Tobacco Products Control Amendments Act, must be partitioned off with a solid partition from floor to ceiling, and may not exceed 25 % of the total floor area of the public place.
Smoking areas must have an entrance door on which “SMOKING AREA” is displayed. The smoking area sign must be in written in black letters, the letters must be at least 2 cm in height and 1,5 cm in width, on a white background.
The message: “SMOKING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS HARMFULL TO YOUR HEALTH AND TO THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN, PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING WOMEN AND NON-SMOKERS”, must be displayed at the entrance to the designated smoking area or smoking room, and must also be written in black letters at least 2 cm in height and 1,5 cm in width on a white background.
These notices and signs indicating where smoking is permitted must be permanently displayed. Signs indicating that smoking is not permitted must carry the warning: "ANY PERSON WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THIS NOTICE SHALL BE PROSECUTED AND MAY BE LIABLE TO A FINE”.
Essentially, a smoking area is a designated area within a building that must remain closed and have an air filtration system. It is not sufficient to have a designated smoking area in the corner of the company canteen. Also, having an air conditioning unit blowing fresh air into the room is not adequate. The air in the smoking “room” must be fresh, clean air, and the smoke polluted air must be extracted out of the room.
The object is to supply fresh air and to extract smoke from a smoking area or room in order to maintain a negative pressure in such smoking area or room (so that air is prevented from passing back into the building), and to supply the necessary signage, in accordance with the National Building Regulations and Standards Act No. 103 of 1997 and the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act No. 83 of 1993. Artificial ventilation must comply with the above act and the details can be obtained from the act.
In addition to the no smoking policy within building areas, smoking is also prohibited outside building areas and air intake where there is the likelihood of side stream smoke being drawn into the building.
Make sure you are complying with the act. Infringement of the law is accompanied by fines.
For any further information you are welcome to contact us at our offices.
Smoking in the workplace
I was doing a company visit with our in-house risk assessor and while waiting to see the client, Pieter mentioned that the company we were seeing had a lack of non-smoking signs. This sparked a conversation on smoking in the workplace. What many people may not know is that it is in fact illegal to smoke in any other place other than in a designated smoking area.
The
Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act No. 83 of 1993 stipulates that smoking may only be allowed in designated smoking areas.
So what is a “Smoking area”? A “Smoking area” in terms of the National Building Regulations Act, is a dedicated room for smoking purposes only.
Therefore, it is prohibited to smoke in all office areas, toilets, kitchens, living quarters and other areas within a building. The act makes specific mention of what a designated smoking area constitutes. A “Smoking area” in terms of the Tobacco Products Control Amendments Act, must be partitioned off with a solid partition from floor to ceiling, and may not exceed 25 % of the total floor area of the public place.
Smoking areas must have an entrance door on which “SMOKING AREA” is displayed. The smoking area sign must be in written in black letters, the letters must be at least 2 cm in height and 1,5 cm in width, on a white background.
The message: “SMOKING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS HARMFULL TO YOUR HEALTH AND TO THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN, PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING WOMEN AND NON-SMOKERS”, must be displayed at the entrance to the designated smoking area or smoking room, and must also be written in black letters at least 2 cm in height and 1,5 cm in width on a white background.
These notices and signs indicating where smoking is permitted must be permanently displayed. Signs indicating that smoking is not permitted must carry the warning: "ANY PERSON WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THIS NOTICE SHALL BE PROSECUTED AND MAY BE LIABLE TO A FINE”.
Essentially, a smoking area is a designated area within a building that must remain closed and have an air filtration system. It is not sufficient to have a designated smoking area in the corner of the company canteen. Also, having an air conditioning unit blowing fresh air into the room is not adequate. The air in the smoking “room” must be fresh, clean air, and the smoke polluted air must be extracted out of the room.
The object is to supply fresh air and to extract smoke from a smoking area or room in order to maintain a negative pressure in such smoking area or room (so that air is prevented from passing back into the building), and to supply the necessary signage, in accordance with the National Building Regulations and Standards Act No. 103 of 1997 and the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act No. 83 of 1993. Artificial ventilation must comply with the above act and the details can be obtained from the act.
In addition to the no smoking policy within building areas, smoking is also prohibited outside building areas and air intake where there is the likelihood of side stream smoke being drawn into the building.
Make sure you are complying with the act. Infringement of the law is accompanied by fines.
For any further information you are welcome to contact us at our offices.