WARRINGTON Council is enforcing a new tough anti-smoking policy in a bid to support local efforts to help people quit smoking or using e-cigarettes.
The hard hitting measures include removing designated smoking areas around council buidlings and banning workers from smoking in or around council vehicles.
Any member of staff seeking to smoke in their own time will be required to remove or cover up their council badges and logos.
Following consultation with trade unions, the council’s new Smoke Free Work Policy will also mean where a clocking system is used, all employees must be clocked off when taking smoking breaks.
The council’s executive board member for public protection, Cllr David Keane, said: “The council has a clear duty to promote public health and well being and also a legal duty as an employer to protect the health of employees. As part of this we need to make sure we don’t encourage or ‘normalise’ smoking.
“The council also tries to help employees who choose to quit smoking by providing information on our staff intranet and our partner LiveWire offers free help to people who want to quit.”
Picture shows the council’s public protection manager Pete Astley MBE (left) taking a sledgehammer to the ash trays outside the council offices at New Town House, supervised by executive board member for public protection, Cllr David Keane.
*For LiveWire Lifestyle Services’ Stop Smoking Team please see: https://www.livewirewarrington.co.uk/lifestyles/stop-smoking; or to book a one-to-one appointment or find out about your nearest drop-in call 0300 003 0818 and ask for the Stop Smoking Team.
For advice regarding smoking and pregnancy you can call Warrington Hospital maternity unit on 01925 662260, or text 0777 034 1468.
Alternatively people who want to stop smoking can visit www.ash.org.uk or telephone national charity Quitline between 0700 and 2300 on 0800 00 22 00.
6 Comments
Could someone please explain why they are not wearing safety glasses and hard hats and hi viz jackets when posing for demolition work?
If you are going to do a publicity stunt – do it properly!
Encouraging people to throw the butts on the floor is NOT exactly sensible. Isn’t there an EU directive about having smoking areas?
When I nod my head hit it 🙂
Beats me why we have not adopted the Aussie principles and laws on smoking in public places, spaces and buildings and the level of fines for breaking or ignoring them.
They are getting rid of the cigarette bins because then the litter wardens can hand out fixed penalty notices!!…. and as for the photo; blokes in suits just do not do manual work…. especially if you have a crazy title like “Public Protection Manager”
Only when you have actually benefitted from the services of a Public Protection Officer do you understand and appreciate why they are required. Think yourself lucky Baz you apparently not needed one to intervene on your behalf.