Council staff face blanket work-hour smoking ban

Nottingham County Council is set to introduce a blanket smoking ban for all its employees during working hours.

The Labour-run council has claimed that staff have “no right to smoke”, and has promised to discipline any worker found trying to sneak a cigarette. The council, which employees over 9,000 people, has said that the move will reduce sickness, improve wellbeing and increase time spent working. The new regulations, which will affect around 1,600 workers, will also prohibit smoking whilst wearing a council uniform.

The ban would extend to all council run buildings, transport and land, prohibiting tobacco products and e-cigarettes. John Tomlinson, Director of Public Health for Nottingham Council, has explained the move by noting that smoking poses the “number one” threat to UK workers. He said: “We are trying to be a supportive employer and have a duty of care to protect the health of our employees as part of a wider remit to take a leading role in promoting better health in Nottinghamshire.

“If they don’t want to give up smoking they will get withdrawal symptoms at work because of their nicotine addiction.”