Smoking at work........

[zobs]

What's your take on smoking at work?
Do people who smoke at work entitled to do so at the work place?

[Citizen X]

" The man who founded New York City in 1653"

My stance is simple, I believe that legislation is too harse for the smoker. I know the harmful effects of a cigarrette but I chose to smoke. I can understand the rationale behind not smoking in closed rooms etc, but I simply feel that If I buy a pack of cigarettes(I'm not breaking in a shop to get my cigarettes), I'm paying for it at Shoprite or Pick n Pay or the corner store, then I should be allowed to smoke my cigarette. I feel that truck smoke causes far more harm, but noone seems to care about that. A cigarette is not a mind alterating drug, it's not going to cause you to knock someone down such as a drunken driver, and yet there's such a big fuss about it.
The workplace, I can understand, there's customers, fellow staff etc, so it will have to be regulated. The question is how, according to the current legislation. I'm not entirely certain if the designated smoking area at work is still allowed? Is it still allowed?

[zobs]

Vanash what's your personal view?

[adrianh]

I would never employ a person who smokes. Smokers waste at leastm30% of the day standing around, talking crap and stinking up the stairwells.

I don't urinate on your desk so don't stink up my air.

[zobs]

Adrian, dnt you think you will have a policy in place if you were the employer?

[ians]

Smoking is a waste of employers time and money, like social networks.

The policy in my company, so long as i dont see you smoking or smell it, or catch you wasting my customers money while standing around smoking, being paid by the hour, i dont really care how you get your puff in.

Nobody is allowed to smoke near my workshop, due to fire hazard, because of all the wood chippings, it would result in instant dismisal , if caught, and if the law tells me i cant fire a person beacause of it, life would become such a miserable place at work.

And yes i was a smoker for 10+ years.

[AndyD]

Before I quit, smoking used to annoy the hell out of me, not because it's antisocial because that doesn't bother smokers...same way someone with stomach cramps from last nights vindaloo is just going to fart without worrying, it annoyed me because I couldn't quit the habit. I smoked since my uni days and eventually quit in my late thirties. I set myself a goal of 2 years smoke free but it was 2 years and a couple of months when I decided I'd start smoking again for no other reason than I enjoyed it and after that time without cigarettes I knew I could quit so it no longer annoyed me.

I restarted smoking before the legislation was even thought of so it was easy. Nowadays with the laws and the social stigma it takes resolution and will power to be a smoker

[adrianh]

I smoked for many many years. I stopped on the 29th of December 1995. I agree 100% with Ians but I still would not employ a smoker. I also spent many years watching smokers waste lots and lots of time standing around wasting time.

[zobs]

Andy lets stick to the Initial Post please.

[adrianh]

Zobs - please read the second sentence of your initial post carefully, the sentence does not make sense.

[zobs]

2nd sentence: people/employees who smoke at work are they entitled to smoke at work?

[zobs]

so Adrian, when you say you wouldn't employ a smoker is that not discrimination which is against the labour act?

[adrianh]

Ah but you see, I have right to evaluate the suitability of a person to fit into my workplace and I feel that smokers are unsuitable for my workplace. I don't employ people who are addicted to drugs. - BTW; I consider Nicotine addiction just the same as Heroin addiction, think about it, a person who is unable to function without taking a little hit every hour has a serious problem. I have no sympathy for smokers just as I have no sympathy for drug addicts, I've been both and I overcame both therefore I feel that I've earned the right to make my judgement (like it, do't like it, that is my position)

[zobs]

Ayt, I feel you.

[tec0]

Smoking at work isn’t a problem at all for me and yes I am a none smoker. But I seriously don’t mind second-hand smoke. Partly because we live in an area where you can actually see the pollution in clear sunlight so really smoking is the last thing on my mind.

That said you do get electronic cigarettes that can be used in hospitals for example. But let’s be clear on this for a moment. I want to see a ban on alcohol sponsors. And a new law that states that you are not allow to consume alcohol when children are around. The reality is alcohol is responsible for more deaths, abuse and violence then cigarettes.

Anyone that doesn't want to employ a smoker is a selfish snob. The reality some people have stress medication others, illegal drugs. But if you want to Victimize someone just for having a smoke “electronic or otherwise” then why do business with you in the first place? I wouldn’t do business with anyone that victimize someone else.

sorry I couldn't leave this topic alone.

simple truth is you want to victimize someone then remember the power of word of mouth. Trust me it hits harder then what most people think.

Also consider that people that uses any type of drug “medical or otherwise” is still using a drug regardless of its label. this is fact so if one is unfit then by definition all must be unfit.