Smoking ban in the UK starts July 2007

By July 2007, England would start banning smoking in all enclosed public places under its “Smoke-free England” campaign. The Health Department will be enforcing this ban to minimize the harmful effects of second-hand smoke that includes heart disease, lung cancer and even sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS. Enclosed public places would include bars, restaurants and even smoking-designated rooms in offices. The smoking ban was first imposed in private and or public offices to protect employees who do not smoke as well as reduce fire incidents related to smoking.

Although this may seem like bad news for smokers, there are still places where they can go to smoke. The Health Department made a guideline that allows people to smoke in designated areas, particularly those equipped with smoking shelters. If you have a business that will be affected by the smoking ban, it would be best to have a smoking shelter installed in order to accommodate your clients who smoke. You can choose from several types of smoking shelters that include:

* Free Standing Smoking Shelters: considered to be the traditional type of smoking shelter, free standing smoking shelters feature a simple structure which can accommodate five to seven people comfortably. Having a free standing smoking shelter installed guarantees you protection from cigarette-related fire accidents and at the same time allow your patrons to smoke comfortably without worrying about violating smoking ban laws. Most of these free standing smoking shelters come complete with chairs and cigarette bins. Aside from these reasons, you can depend on these shelters to withstand all types of weather. Constructed with durable material, free standing smoking shelters usually have translucent side panels.
* Wall-mounted smoking shelters: these shelters are perfect for businesses who have limited budget but needs to comply with the new smoking ban regulation. More affordable than the free standing smoking shelters, wall-supported smoking shelters can usually fit two to four people and easier to install.

These smoking shelters are not restricted when it comes to its size. The only requirement that the UK government imposed is that they be more than 50% open to reduce smoke build up. You can determine the location where you want to put your smoking shelter by considering the size of your property, place of entry and exit and where your guest would feel comfortable and safe. As a business owner, it would be better to position your smoking shelter where it does not block incoming traffic and would not be considered as an “eye sore”.

There are many manufacturers of smoking shelters in the market today. For more convenience, you can access these manufacturers’ websites and get a quotation. You should compare the proposed material, prices, delivery costs and how long they would need to build a smoking shelter with your specifications. Most importantly, the manufacturer should be aware of the latest local and national laws regarding the implementation of the Smoking Ban as well as comply with the minimum requirements for making a smoking shelter.

By: Neil MacLeod
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NIM Ltd Engineering provide worldwide distribution of smoking shelters. Now's the time to act with many countries bringing out bans on smoking in public places, ensuring that your business caters for smokers and non-smokers alike.