After designing a set of signs for a prominent educational facility, a discussion was started regarding the upcoming Health Bill enactments. The Health Bill will force all public places to ban smoking. Period.

For a sign company you can imagine the positive aspects of this, we hope that a lot more companies will realize their need for such signs, and use our online ordering systems to order their No Smoking Signs while they can get them. But the discussion centred around the position of most companies waiting until the last minute to buy them all in.

As of right now, UK companies have just under a year to prepare for this new legislation and get their workplaces properly outfitted with signage to remind employees of their obligation to not smoke.

To end this post, here are the Government’s proposals dealing with No Smoking Signs, section (7) of the Health Bill:

(1) It is the duty of any person who occupies or is concerned in the management of smoke-free premises to make sure that no-smoking signs complying with the requirements of this section are displayed in those premises in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(2) Regulations made by the appropriate national authority may provide for a duty corresponding to that mentioned in subsection (1) in relation to—
(a) places which are smoke-free by virtue of section 4,
(b) vehicles which are smoke-free by virtue of section 5.

The duty is to be imposed on persons or descriptions of person specified in the regulations.

(3) The signs must be displayed in accordance with any requirements contained in regulations made by the appropriate national authority.

(4) The signs must conform to any requirements specified in regulations made by the appropriate national authority (for example, requirements as to content, size, design, colour, or wording).

(5) A person who fails to comply with the duty in subsection (1), or any corresponding duty in regulations under subsection (2), commits an offence.

(6) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (5) to show —
(a) that he did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that the premises were smoke-free (or, as the case may be, that the place or vehicle was smoke-free), or
(b) that he did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that no-smoking signs complying with the requirements of this section were not being displayed in accordance with the requirements of this section, or
(c) that on other grounds it was reasonable for him not to comply with the duty.

(7) If a person charged with an offence under subsection (5) relies on a defence in subsection (6), and evidence is adduced which is sufficient to raise an issue with respect to that defence, the court must assume that the defence is satisfied unless the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that it is not.

(8) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (5) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding a level on the standard scale specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(9) The references in this section, however expressed, to premises, places or vehicles which are smoke-free, are to those premises, places or vehicles so far as they are smoke-free under or by virtue of this Part.

Given the current political climate and this Health Bill coming into force next year, it is more and more important that No Smoking signs be clearly posted and displayed so citizens can clearly understand where it is permissible to smoke. Employers could even be committing an offence by NOT displaying No Smoking signs!

While large companies might have large budgets for signage it is also important small- and medium-sized businesses to conform to the letter of the law. We think that our pricing is fair and honest, and suits the large as well as the small business - you can order hundreds of No Smoking signs, or just a few, and the choices available are numerous - 3 pages in all.

If you are looking at No Smoking signs right now - are you looking for anything in particular? Are you looking for a specific design? Give us your feedback and tell us what you think of our own signs.

Take a look at our online ordering system for No Smoking signs and decide for yourself.