With the new public places smoking law going into effect here in Colorado, things are a-changing at the office. An e-mail from our Ops Manager here:
Initially, and in order to strictly comply with this law, effective 1 July, smoking is not permitted within 25 feet of all 4 normal building entrances. To emphasize this, [office manager] will also be moving all ashtrays to further than 25 feet from entrances, and expedite our landlord to post no smoking signs identical to those currently posted at the main front entrance.
Over the next few weeks we intend to expand this to reflect the spirit of the law so all employees can get to each of the 4 normal entrances without exposure to smoke, by prohibiting smoking within 25 feet of any area which represents the sole access to those entrances. At that same time we intend to establish a couple of clearly marked designated smoking areas which are at least 25 feet from any sole access to a normal building entrance.
In some ways, this is the least contentious time of the year to do this. I have no idea what the smoking contingent at the office is going to do once we get rain and snow. There’s been no smoking allowed by the front door for a while, but the back door has a bench and a large covered area that’s going to be off-limits, and the two wing doors (fire escapes, actually, but key-carded for access) have just huddle space by them.
I have to say that while I dislike smoking and consider second-hand smoke exposure a health threat, passing by the occasional smoker at the door has never seemed onerous to me. I’ll be much more pleased about no smoking in restaurants.