View Full Version : Smoking in cabs of foreign lorries
coastie
7th April 2009, 11:50
This afternoon whilst walking down the A55 here at Holyhead, a Foreign wagon went past me in which the passenger was smoking. What is the legality of this? As we know, smoking in a place of work in the UK, which includes vehicles, is banned. Does a foreign vehicle from a place where this rule does not apply have to conform to this ban whilst in this country??:confused::confused:
Confused of Holyhead,com!
Western SMT
7th April 2009, 12:13
UK and Ireland seem to be the only countries that have actually extended the definition of work place to include vehicles used for business - but even here there are wide discrepancies.
I believe under Scottish law you can still smoke in a company car but if you drove across the border you have instantly committed an offence under English law.
G-CPTN
7th April 2009, 16:00
I still see the occasional smoker driving a van. Maybe if you are self-employed?
Western SMT
7th April 2009, 16:28
A self-employed painter and decorator has been given a £30 on-the-spot fine for smoking in his own van because it is classified as a workplace.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4393248.ece
More info
http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2007/04/12/126708/put-it-out-or-else.html
Would think foreign truck driver smokers would come under this link
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_177085
G-CPTN
7th April 2009, 18:11
What about 'sales reps' (what we used to call 'commercial travellers' when I was a lad?
Mr-Tomcat
7th April 2009, 20:35
Bear one thing in mind; while a lorry cab is your work place, it is also for a lot of drivers their home for long periods of time, so how would that apply I wonder?
Andy.:)
coastie
7th April 2009, 22:50
It just goes to prove what I have just said on the local forum, that the anti smoking law just HASN'T been thoroughly thought through. It's a minefield IMHO.
robertdavey6
26th June 2009, 20:30
I told my boss he'd two choices. He either turned a blind eye or I pulled up every 30minutes for a smoke break! (all right, so I exagerated for effect!) Just do the calculations. Call it 7.5mins per cig. That's 150 minutes (3hours 20 minutes) per day, every working day, lost time.
coastie
27th June 2009, 09:31
Similarly, what if you're in a UK wagon but driving in a Country where this ban does not exist, are you still bound by UK law?
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