Does anyone have any information to prevent exposure to second hand smoke in the form of legal highs (Spice, black mamba, etc....) The area i work now has an influx of these substances which has caused second hand effects to others; I am looking into preventing second hand smoke inhalation using FFP2 masks, but not 100% sure if they will reduce or eliminate substances relating to legal highs, i am going to speak to the company that produce the FFP2 masks but wondering if anyone has any experience about this and how to eliminate the exposure to others.

A No Smoking Policy? Or is this community-based work?

Hmmm. Other reports on-line suggest strong links to significant increase in violence, including attacks on staff. Doing nothing about that won't go down well with HSE. And a word of warning: A half-mask pulled from the wearer's face and then let go is a VERY painful experience. If this is indeed a "secure" building, I suggest additional rigour with room, building and personal searching to confiscate the material.

I agree In other words use better risk controls than PPE

'Legal High' is a very misleading term for these dangerous drugs, generally referred to now as New Psychoactive Substances or NPS. As the composition of NPS changes so rapidly, then finding effective PPE to counter, other than full might be difficult. If these people are in some kind of provided accommodation then I'd suggest you need to make it absolutely clear that as part of their tenancy agreement that smoking these substance is not OK, and should probably have your MAPPA or safeguarding alarm bells ringing too. Several deaths associated with use of NPS in Newcastle, I'll PM you.

Invictus - although 'secure' I'm not sure its a prison or young offenders place. If it is (and I guess it could be, so not so secure) and NPS is so commonplace then they have waaaay bigger problems than RPE.