S 2.21 Ban on smoking
Initiation responsibility: Building Services Manager
Implementation responsibility: Employee
Most rooms of companies and public agencies are subject to a ban on smoking; in most cases, this is due to legal requirements. For example, in Germany the workplace ordinance obliges most institutions to ensure protection of non-smokers in the workplace. Also in buildings without a comprehensive ban on smoking, it must be ensured that a ban on smoking is imposed in rooms housing IT systems or data media (server room, data media archives, as well as document archives) where fires or soiling may cause significant damage. Prohibiting smoking is simultaneously a preventive fire protection measure and also helps to ensure the operational reliability of IT equipment with mechanical components.
Here it must be ensured that the access protection in the building is not impaired by the ban on smoking. Often it can be seen that external doors in hard-to-see areas are open because the vicinity of the door is used as a smokers' zone and the door is not closed during the work time for reasons of convenience.
Review questions:
- Is the ban on smoking observed in rooms requiring protection?
- Is access protection maintained when creating or tolerating smokers' zones?