HLS-PR-001: Creating Smoke-Free Environments

• Public Service Act 1996 (new window) Part 3 http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/P/PublicServA96.pdf
• Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 (new window) Part 2B, Part 2C http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TobacoPrPrSuA98.pdf
• Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (new window) Part 1, Section 7 and Part 3, Section 28 http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WorkplHSaA95.pdf

• Queensland Government Smoking Policy (new window) http://www.opsc.qld.gov.au/library/docs/resources/policies/Staff_Policy_Smoking.pdf
• Code of School Behaviour http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/bm-codebehav.html

• HLS-PR-016: Workplace Health and Safety Consultative Framework /strategic/eppr/health/hlspr016/
• FLM-PR-001: Fleet Management /strategic/eppr/fleet/flmpr001/
• SMS-PR-012: Student Protection /strategic/eppr/students/smspr012/
• WFR-PR-008: Work-Life Balance /strategic/eppr/workforce/wfrpr008/

Statement of intent

Education Queensland has a total ban on smoking on all departmental premises. The ban affects all schools, school grounds, outdoor education centres, regional and district offices and central office buildings.

The ban applies to all persons entering departmental premises including all employees of the Queensland Government, school students, family members, visitors, contractors and employees of any other organisation.

The ban upholds the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 and the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 in providing employees, students and all those visiting Education Queensland premises with a healthier physical environment.

Smoking is not permitted in the following places:

• On all departmental premises including shared accommodation (except residential housing such as teacher or Public Service housing)
• In any departmental vehicles including cars, buses, boats or tractors (except private-plated vehicles)
• Within 4m of any part of an entrance to an enclosed or substantially enclosed place (including the footpath outside a school, if that falls within 4m of the entrance of a school building)
• Within 10m of any part of children's playground equipment (including the footpath outside a school, if that falls within 10m of any part of children's playground equipment)

Designated smoking areas on departmental property are not permitted.

Responsibilities

• Communicate Statement of Intent to school community/employees on a regular basis
• Include information about no smoking on all departmental premises in contractual arrangements with contractors
• Obtain No Smoking * signs from Queensland Health Tobacco Hotline as required Tel: 1800 005 998
• Direct a person smoking in a prohibited area to cease doing so
• Manage any breach by departmental staff in line with existing disciplinary procedures
• Manage any breach by contractors in line with existing procedures under contractual arrangements
• Lodge an on-line complaint via http://www.health.qld.gov.au/atods/tobaccolaws to report behaviour of persons refusing to cease smoking if they are outside school grounds and
  • Within 4m of a building entrance, or
  • Within 10m of any part of children's playground equipment.

*A range of adhesive and non-adhesive signs and no-smoking symbols in various sizes are available including a custom-made A4-sized PVC sign for school playground equipment: 'No Smoking within 10m of playground equipment'.

• May not smoke in the presence of students on school excursions, camps or other school activities.

Forms

• Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Other relevant documents

• Creating Healthier Workplaceshttp://education.qld.gov.au/health/
• Quitnow, Quitline 131 848 http://www.quitnow.info.au/

Contacts

For further information, please contact:

For further information, please contact:

For further information, please contact:

• HS-04: Total Ban on Smoking in Government Buildings and Offices - Version: 1.0