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Gigantic Effort: Smoking To Be Banned in British Telecom’s Offices and Vans

by Medindia Content Team on Feb 22 2006 2:07 PM

British Telecom is quite a trend setter of sorts. Now, BT Offices and Vans will sport an anti-smoking message, to remind its workers that smoking is banned in the BT premises as well as in the company vehicles, with effect from March 26. Importantly, this move might encourage “anti-smoking” initiatives in other industries in Britain.

The anti-smoking activists have seconded this announcement, which will surely set a precedent. Now this means that a BT logo on the premises or on any of the vehicles, indicates that smoking is not allowed inside- BT’s100, 000 employees world over will be subject to this ban. In BT’s reckoning one third of its workers smoke.

Dr Paul Litchfield, BT's chief medical officer said “The new rules introduce what we perceive to be the best practice in terms of enabling our people to live a healthy life.”

A spokesman for anti-smoking group Ash (Action on Smoking and Health) has welcomed this move by BT, certainly worth emulation by other companies, for a smoke free work culture. After all, the company will stand to gain by way of increased productivity, as a result of decreased absenteeism.


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