Posted By Lisa_
Hi Guys,

Can anyone point me in the right direction ( or have an existing policy I could use as a reference) to try and cover this one off.

We have staff going into customers rooms as part a supporting people plan. Customers have the right to smoke on their side of the front door.

Understandably we want and need to protect our staff. Thoughts so far being that customers will be given 30 min warning of intended visit and smoking is banned from that point onward to try and clear the air, staff being given the right to refuse support if a customer insists on smoking in their presence.

Has anyone already tackled this one - all contributions welcome.

Thanks

Posted By Lisa_
keyword "passive smoking" only gives me the statement on UK going smoke free. Any thoughts what else might trigger this thread?

Posted By Mike Miller
Lisa Hi!

I worked for a LA who had a no smoking policy (as they all do now) When our out reach workers had to visit people in their own homes we were able to enforce no smoking during visiting times as they were council houses LA owned. Most people were prety much ok with this but if anyone objected we informed them that the interview/visit will need to take place in the council offices where no smoking is enforced.

I am not sure how anyone could enforce this in private homes? I do not know your company's undertaakings but perhaps you can introduce something similar by holding meetings/visit at no smoking places for objectors.

Posted By Lisa_
Thanks for your help, especially Sally for explaining why I wasn't having much joy with the search facility. I knew it had to have been here before and was starting to doubt my sanity.

Lisa

Posted By Lisa_
Some of our staff assist with medication i.e. the customers meds are locked away, we have the key, we open it up and hand it over at set times during the day. These are customers with mental health illnesses that live either in the community or in part of sheltered accommodation.

Therefore as tempting as a 3 strikes and your out type rule for people who insist on smoking in the presence of staff, it would bring more problems than it would solve.

Interesting thought though, the risk assessment on providing meds in a smoky filled room by an employee with asthma V the potential for physical attack if the customer is unstable due to lack of appropriate medication....

Other customers that are not medication dependent could potentially have the service withdrawn - it depends on the contract that they are there for.

Food for thought.

Thanks again for helping to get the grey matter going!

Posted By water67.
Hi, as has been said, there have been a few threads on this. I work in an LA. staff have to go into tenant properties re support etc. When the new smoking regs came in we sent a letter to every client explaining the issues re protecting staff from passive smoking. We asked them to refrain from smoking for 1 hour before the visit, during the visit and if possible to vent the room. If they insist on smoking a manager from the service will go out and re-iterate/explain why we ask them not to smoke. They are lettered and a kind of veiled threat re possible reduction in service if they do not agree to our request. Of course this would not happen if it compromised the health and well being of the client as we have statutory "care" duties under other legislation. However we can not "make" anyone stop smoking in their own house. Curious as to how this was managed by the person in the post re LA housing thus theirs house and they could compel tenants, with a legally binding missive/tenancy agreement paying rent, not to smoke.

Posted By Lisa_
PhilP I am your biggest fan. This has more than met my expectations. Thanks