Smoking regulations in this province are very stringent. The purpose of these regulations is to prevent workers from being exposed to the airborne constituents of tobacco smoke while they are working. With few exceptions, the restrictions apply to every workplace and cover all sources of environmental tobacco smoke, including that generated by workers or the public.
WorkSafeBC’s occupational health and safety regulations require that employers control the exposure of workers to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) by prohibiting smoking in the workplace, or restricting smoking to designated smoking areas or by other equally effective means.
A designated smoking area must be clearly identified to the workforce by signs or other effective means and be a safe outdoor location, or a room structurally separated from other work or break areas. This room must meet specific ventilation requirements, be clearly identified as a smoking area and be built or located in such a way that there is no likelihood of ETS being re-circulated into work or non-smoking break areas.
The regulations provide employers with some flexibility to determine and implement the method that best suits their workplace while controlling exposure to ETS. An employer may choose to prohibit smoking in the workplace, restrict smoking to designated smoking areas or use another equally effective means.
Note that WorkSafeBC’s jurisdiction to regulate smoking extends only to employers and workers. A complaint regarding exposure of the public to ETS at a workplace will be referred to the local public health authority or other agency having jurisdiction.
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