Smoking ban 'puts staff at risk'
Smoking (generic)
The smoking ban was introduced across England on 1 July
A pub landlord has said he will allow people to smoke in his bar to avoid risking his bar staff getting attacked if they try to enforce the ban.
Tony Blows, of the Dog Inn at Ewyas Harold, in Herefordshire, said the ban contradicted health and safety laws.
He said other sections of the law dictated that staff should not be put in potentially violent confrontational situations.
The smoking ban was introduced across England on 1 July.
Mr Blows said that under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to provide a safe place of work for all staff.
'Not an excuse'
He said he believed asking bar staff at the village pub to confront smokers would contradict those guidelines.
Mr Blows said: "When people come in here I tell them that smoking in a public place like this is against the law and they could face a £50 fine or a court appearance.
"However, because of the previous health and safety rulings, we can't enforce it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/6923843.stm
"This is not an excuse to just get us out of the smoking ban - anyone who looks on the Health and Safety Executive's website can see the contradiction there in black and white."
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