An overwhelming majority of Irish companies have a no smoking policy in place, according to the results of a survey by the Irish Heart Foundation.
The survey, the first of its kind, showed that 93 per cent of companies have adopted such a policy and 10 per cent are totally smoke-free. It showed a very positive picture in large companies in manufacturing and some service industries, according to Mr Paddy Murphy, chief executive of the IHF.
"It is clear that many companies recognised that they have a responsibility in protecting the health and welfare of all employees," he said.
The evidence linking passive smoking to heart disease, lung cancer and other diseases continues to be confirmed and substantiated, said Mr Murphy. He called on all employers "to take their obligations to employees seriously, otherwise employees exposed to other people's smoke over a long time in the working environment may have grounds for litigation, as has happened in the UK, US and Australia".
The survey found that the no smoking policy was enforced in the majority of cases. Three quarters of companies cited health and safety as primary reasons for introduction of the policy, and 46 per cent cited legislation. Over a third were influenced by the Department of Health's voluntary code in this area.
A number of companies said there was a need for revitalisation of the policy. Companies said the policy brought a number of benefits including reduced cleaning and maintenance, cleaner environment, reduced insurance cost and reduced absenteeism.