Blanket compliance with regulations in NI
10 May 2007
Councils in Northern Ireland have reported almost blanket compliance since the new smokefree law came in April. Figures show that 99% of the 12,317 businesses visited by officials across Northern Ireland in the first eight days of the introduction of the legislation were found to be smokefree. What's more, 94% had complied with signage requirements.
Sam Knox, chairman of the Chief Environmental Health Officers Group, said the high levels reflect "not only support for the legislation but the importance of the advisory work undertaken by environmental health staff, prior to implementation of the legislation".
Tom Crossan, principal environmental health officer with the council, said: "We are delighted that businesses in Belfast have embraced this legislation so thoroughly and positively.
"We had been working with businesses for almost a year in the run-up to the law coming in, and we knew that it was something which was very much welcomed by the business community. The extremely high compliance rate bears this out."
Originally reported in the Belfast Telegraph
Sam Knox, chairman of the Chief Environmental Health Officers Group, said the high levels reflect "not only support for the legislation but the importance of the advisory work undertaken by environmental health staff, prior to implementation of the legislation".
Tom Crossan, principal environmental health officer with the council, said: "We are delighted that businesses in Belfast have embraced this legislation so thoroughly and positively.
"We had been working with businesses for almost a year in the run-up to the law coming in, and we knew that it was something which was very much welcomed by the business community. The extremely high compliance rate bears this out."
Originally reported in the Belfast Telegraph
