HSA plans to ban smoking in some private homes

The Health and Safety Authority has confirmed that its proposed worker protection legislation would ban smoking in homes where people employ childminders, carers, au pairs or other workers.

The HSA also said yesterday that the ban would apply when tradesmen such as plumbers or electricians were working in a private home.

The details are contained in HSA regulations drawn up following the body’s decision to designate second-hand smoke as a carcinogen.

Workers will be encouraged to report breaches of the regulations to the authority.

The HSA regulations are separate to the Government’s proposed ban on smoking in the workplace, which will not apply to private dwellings.