Should Smoking Breaks be Banned in the Workplace?

Millicent · 15-03-2012 11:28AM

pickarooney wrote: »

What's to stop anyone going for a non smoke break? I refuse to believe a boss would actually prevent you taking a few minutes off because he/she knew you didn't smoke while letting your colleagues go out for a fag.

In fairness, I have seen bosses do it and it's pretty shitty. Usually smokers themselves, oddly enough...

When I supervised, everyone got five minutes when we were quiet to do whatever the hell they wanted. People did a lot more work for you when you were fair and knew they had some sort of reward and respect in the workplace.

People who want to go out once an hour for smokes are piss takers though. Nobody is that addicted and I say that as a heavy smoker.

mattjack · 15-03-2012 11:36AM

Millicent wrote: »

In fairness, I have seen bosses do it and it's pretty shitty. Usually smokers themselves, oddly enough...

When I supervised, everyone got five minutes when we were quiet to do whatever the hell they wanted. People did a lot more work for you when you were fair and knew they had some sort of reward and respect in the workplace.

People who want to go out once an hour for smokes are piss takers though. Nobody is that addicted and I say that as a heavy smoker.

I worked for years as an electrician and got into the habit years ago of saying to apprentices "go for a smoke",once they knew they could go without asking or being made feel guilty ..barriers broke down a little and they became more relaxed.Rarely had any take the piss and often they,d only smoke while going to the site stores.

Paparazzo · 15-03-2012 11:41AM

mattjack wrote: »

Half the day ? where do you work that allows this.

One place I worked every time you needed a guy he was out having a smoke. And the door was miles away, so it was a pain in the hole going to get him.
Some people take the piss big time. In a different place, I knew a woman that was almost part of the furniture outside the office. She used to smoke 2 cigarettes in a row each time.
But most smokers don't take the piss.

Ironman76 · 15-03-2012 11:44AM

The problem isnt smoke breaks really. Its people taking the p*ss. One place I worked wed be out there fifteen mins chatting (yes me too), three/four times per day. I dont smoke anymore but I wouldnt ban smoke breaks, just make sure no one takes the p*ss.

15-03-2012 12:06PM

pickarooney wrote: »

What's to stop anyone going for a non smoke break? I refuse to believe a boss would actually prevent you taking a few minutes off because he/she knew you didn't smoke while letting your colleagues go out for a fag.

Maybe not prevent you, but definitely make you feel like a nuisance. When I worked in an office, I asked if I could have 5 minutes off each hour like the smokers did and I was made to feel that I was being petty and demanding for the sake of it, to make a point. I think most workers come up against this, especially if the boss is a smoker. Mine seemed to have the attitude that smokers were innocent victims, suffering from a terrible affliction that had to be accommodated.

I get paid for the classes I teach now and breaks aren't paid, so it isn't an issue in my current workplace, but if I ever work in an office again, I will expect to be allowed to go outside as often as the smokers do. As other posters have noted, it's incredibly irritating to have to search for or cover for colleagues who shag off for fifteen minutes at a time.

I think a five minute break every hour is fair for everyone and would increase productivity. Expecting some people to sit at their desk for hours because they've chosen not to smoke is ridiculous.

saa · 15-03-2012 12:37PM

I'm trying to give up so on one hand it would help me if I couldn't sometimes its not even the craving its just the idea that I'm missing out on the craic being had on a short smoke break, I know it sounds weird but the amount of people I have got taking to just because I was out for a smoke.. dang im turning into Chandler.

But on the other hand I'm on going to smoke 1-2 cigarettes in the working day I'd rather take them and have a shorter lunch than be thinking about them for the whole day and feeling deprived, I know its really sad but its an emotional crutch.

I was thinking of working in a camp for the summer and I can't now for financial reasons but I was going to do it even though there was a no smoking policy and you lived on site, even when you werent working, I thought that was a bit much.

marnie d · 15-03-2012 01:35PM

Dudess wrote: »

That looks kinda disingenuous IMO.

What's being referred to here is the way in some workplaces, smokers nip out for a fag say every 90 minutes and it can take nearly 10 minutes at a time, sometimes they'll make a cuppa with it too, whereas non smokers just don't spend as much time away from their desks, even if they go out to make a cuppa now and again.
That's not an anti smokers thing - just something that needs to be addressed for the sake of fairness. Limit the number of fag breaks and ensure non smokers are allowed the same amount of time to walk around, get some air, make a cuppa etc - IMO.

ummm, it's illegal to smoke inside, hence the needing to take time out of working to have a smoke. It's not illegal to drink tea or coffee at your desk.

c_man · 15-03-2012 01:58PM

Ex smoker here. I don't begrudge smokers their breaks, I miss the fresh air tbh

Used to find it really helpful when working on something hard, head out for a coffee and a fag and mull it over.

token101 · 15-03-2012 02:04PM

No my boss is a cranky enough cnut as it is. Without her fags she might explode and she may also live longer.

Malari · 15-03-2012 02:15PM

pickarooney wrote: »

What's to stop anyone going for a non smoke break? I refuse to believe a boss would actually prevent you taking a few minutes off because he/she knew you didn't smoke while letting your colleagues go out for a fag.

I used to get stopped! One of the girls in the office would nip out for a fag break and I got on well with her so I'd take my coffee and pop out for a few minutes. She worked on a different floor, so we didn't see each other during the day that much. The boss (who smoked) would come and ask me if I could check this or that right then :mad: It's not like I was skiving off, I was running a department so had to be on top of things. :rolleyes: She just didn't like the idea of me standing outside doing nothing, as she saw it. I'm well rid of that place...

Nothingbetter2d · 15-03-2012 03:09PM

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

I'm offering to clean his shoes, my standards aren't high.

i know a farmer who needs his wellies cleaned.

Mickey H · 15-03-2012 03:34PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I'm pretty sure than everyone is entitled to 5 minutes away from their computer under Health Laws. Something about VDU's and eye tiredness.

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

This is from the HSA site...

"Employers must plan work so that daily work at VDU's is interrupted periodically by breaks or changes in activity which reduce the work at the screen. Although the Regulations set no frequency for breaks, no single continuous period of work at a screen should, in general, exceed one hour."

So i guess people that work with VDU's are covered unless they are really pulling the piss.

Thanks for highlighting this Logical Fallacy. I remember coming across this topic in Law & IT during my Masters but for the life of me, I can't find any figures.

Can anyone shed some light?

hondasam · 15-03-2012 03:49PM

grindle wrote: »

This happens?!?

Yes this happens.We can't smoke on public transport, cinema, planes etc so work should be no different.
Everyone has a break at work and that's the time for smoking. As mentioned last week some hospitals have banned smoking for staff,visitors and patients inside the grounds including car parks, these staff members will have to go without smoking during the day.
It all depends on your job as well,If other people have to cover for the smokers then it's unfair. Unfortunately people take the piss and ruin it for everyone.

Coriolanus · 15-03-2012 03:55PM

Smokers get smoke breaks. I take extra long toilet breaks to make up for not smoking.

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 04:02PM

hondasam wrote: »

Yes this happens.We can't smoke on public transport, cinema, planes etc so work should be no different.

They are all indoors. You can smoke outside all of these places. Outside work is still outside.

I smoke about 6 or 7 fags a day in work. Probably takes me 30 minutes max. I get no official breaks as I work on my own in a shop. I can't leave. It would be a complete nonsense to ban me from nipping out for a smoke.

Who is this being proposed by? i know my employer has no problem whatsoever so who's the asshole who thinks they know everyones circumstances in work?

StudentDad · 15-03-2012 04:14PM

Banning smoke breaks? It's bad enough that smokers get treated like pariahs. Now there is a move to ban smoking totally?

What next? Ban the wearing of godawful body sprays and perfumes?

Last time I checked people go to work to work! Not worry about whether or not their work colleagues smoke or not.

hondasam · 15-03-2012 04:17PM

Cameron Poe wrote: »

They are all indoors. You can smoke outside all of these places. Outside work is still outside.

I smoke about 6 or 7 fags a day in work. Probably takes me 30 minutes max. I get no official breaks as I work on my own in a shop. I can't leave. It would be a complete nonsense to ban me from nipping out for a smoke.

Who is this being proposed by? i know my employer has no problem whatsoever so who's the asshole who thinks they know everyones circumstances in work?

It never looks good to see people outside work smoking imo and the smell get inside the building as well. You work on your own so you smoking is not affecting anyone else, no one is covering for you while you smoke.
If smokers take 5min every hr they work less than non smokers and some take more than 5min tbh.

Solair · 15-03-2012 04:20PM

I've no problem with them as long as everyone else gets an equivalent break to have a cup of tea, make personal calls, read the paper, post on boards, whatever..

I don't see why non-addicts should be discriminated against.

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 04:22PM

hondasam wrote: »

It never looks good to see people outside work smoking imo and the smell get inside the building as well. You work on your own so you smoking is not affecting anyone else, no one is covering for you while you smoke.
If smokers take 5min every hr they work less than non smokers and some take more than 5min tbh.

So you agree that a blanket ban on smoking in the workplace is wrong?

I'm still unsure of what is being proposed here.

hondasam · 15-03-2012 04:25PM

Cameron Poe wrote: »

So you agree that a blanket ban on smoking in the workplace is wrong?

I'm still unsure of what is being proposed here.

I think smoking should be on break time only, no smoking at other times.We never thought we would be stopped smoking in pubs but we have managed. If it stopped in work places everyone would get used to it as well.

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 04:39PM

hondasam wrote: »

I think smoking should be on break time only, no smoking at other times.We never thought we would be stopped smoking in pubs but we have managed. If it stopped in work places everyone would get used to it as well.

You can still smoke outside the pub though or in the beer gardens that most pubs have now.

As I already said lots of people don't get official breaks so should they not be able to smoke at all?

I did work in a place that gave you your set time for breaks and you had to log out and in when you went on a break. You could take all the time at once or go for as many 5 minute breaks as you could fit in to your allotted time.

To be honest the whole thing sounds like a load of begrudging nonsense from the militant antismoking brigade. I'd love to know how many people are in work commenting about this now on company time.

hondasam · 15-03-2012 04:47PM

Cameron Poe wrote: »

You can still smoke outside the pub though or in the beer gardens that most pubs have now.

As I already said lots of people don't get official breaks so should they not be able to smoke at all?

I did work in a place that gave you your set time for breaks and you had to log out and in when you went on a break. You could take all the time at once or go for as many 5 minute breaks as you could fit in to your allotted time.

To be honest the whole thing sounds like a load of begrudging nonsense from the militant antismoking brigade. I'd love to know how many people are in work commenting about this now on company time.

Everyone is entitled to an official break. There must be some work places who only having smoking on official breaks.

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 04:48PM

hondasam wrote: »

Everyone is entitled to an official break.

It doesn't work like that in the real world.

hondasam · 15-03-2012 04:49PM

Cameron Poe wrote: »

It doesn't work like that in the real world.

How do you mean?

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 04:57PM

hondasam wrote: »

How do you mean?

In that lots of people take a break when they can.

If I'm eating my lunch and someone comes in to the shop I have to stop eating my lunch. I don't get to head off for an hour. If there is no one in the shop I go for a smoke.

Lots of people work like this. You can't ban them all from smoking.

If the idea behind this proposal is to let employers make up their own rules then fair enough but surely that happens anyway.

If it's to ban smoking in the vicinity of your workplace then it's complete nonsense.

hondasam · 15-03-2012 05:24PM

Cameron Poe wrote: »

In that lots of people take a break when they can.

Granted but lots take scheduled breaks, what would you do where there is thirty people working, there has to be set breaks in order to have cover all the time.
If twenty five of these smoke how would you manage smoke breaks?

Cameron Poe · 15-03-2012 08:09PM

Then it's up to the boss to manage the situation as he sees fit as with any other contentious situation in the workplace. Common sense and all that.

Pandora2 · 15-03-2012 08:37PM

GoldDustWoman wrote: »

I think you were more than fair to smokers in this case. I'm a smoker but I would never consider going for a cigarette break while I was working especially if it was a super busy time.

I guess I'd never consider it because I realize that my employer is the one who is keeping me in cigarettes by paying my wages and so my job should take priority

As a veteran of the hospitality industry, it is just plain unprofessional to take a break during service!!! I am still in the habit of eating lunch at 11.30am because if I don't there will be no opportunity until 3.30pm, as was my habit!! I can't imagine any shift leader giving permission for a 'smoke' break during service

Other than that regular breaks are good when not abused, If I needed a few minutes during the day, I might nip out for a breath of fresh air, I always came back recharged and ready to roll!!

Scruffles · 15-03-2012 08:56PM

anyone who doenst smoke and doesnt get the same breaks as a smoker shoud hunt down the old classic chocolate cigarettes,stick em in a real empty packet of fags for added realism,and let the bosses or whoever get a glance of them.
excessively spray self with deodorant/body spray on the way back in like some smokers do in an attempt to delude others about their fag useage [yep,cant smell the smoke over that pissy body spray whatsoever].

Stinicker · 15-03-2012 09:11PM

I think employers should simply not hire smokers as they are obviously lacking in intelligence and are drug dependent and very prone to mood swings, depression and lashing out. It is common place in many jobs abroad not to hire employees on the basis of they being smokers. Smokers also take far more sick days, have bad body odour due to their excessive smoking and also are less attractive all of which can be real negatives in certain employment situations.

Should Smoking Breaks be Banned in the Workplace?

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