Post by IAMCAPER on Jan 7, 2007 21:56:40 GMT -4
Cambridge Suites Hotel has kicked the habit.
The downtown Sydney facility is now completely smoke-free, making it the first hotel in the industrial area to ask all of its customers to butt out before passing through its double-doors. The move, effective Jan. 1, has housekeeping staff completely mucking out 18 rooms previously reserved for cigarette smokers.
General manager Michele Bianchini said drapes and linens in the rooms are being dry cleaned and washed. Then, rooms are left vacant for seven days while air cleaners work to remove remaining odours.
To date, no backlash has been reported.
“Even the smokers are fine with it,” she said.
Guests can still smoke four metres from the building and a shelter is available on the property for smoking staff.
Bianchini said the hotel chose to go smoke-free to improve the health and safety of both its staff and guests. As well, it’s staying one step ahead of the province’s new smoking legislation that may one day force all hotels to be 100 per cent smoke free.
“We’re anticipating that it’s inevitable,” said Bianchini.
Smoking was banned in all public places across Nova Scotia beginning Dec. 1, 2006, with few exceptions.
Dr.Andrew Lynk, a Sydney pediatrician, said he congratulates the hotel on its “progressive” initiative. However, knowing that cleaning staff in other hotels remain in contact with second-hand smoke is alarming.
“All workers should benefit from the smoking ban,” he said. “It should apply to all hotel and motel rooms. It’s an issue of protecting workers’ health.”
The downtown Sydney facility is now completely smoke-free, making it the first hotel in the industrial area to ask all of its customers to butt out before passing through its double-doors. The move, effective Jan. 1, has housekeeping staff completely mucking out 18 rooms previously reserved for cigarette smokers.
General manager Michele Bianchini said drapes and linens in the rooms are being dry cleaned and washed. Then, rooms are left vacant for seven days while air cleaners work to remove remaining odours.
To date, no backlash has been reported.
“Even the smokers are fine with it,” she said.
Guests can still smoke four metres from the building and a shelter is available on the property for smoking staff.
Bianchini said the hotel chose to go smoke-free to improve the health and safety of both its staff and guests. As well, it’s staying one step ahead of the province’s new smoking legislation that may one day force all hotels to be 100 per cent smoke free.
“We’re anticipating that it’s inevitable,” said Bianchini.
Smoking was banned in all public places across Nova Scotia beginning Dec. 1, 2006, with few exceptions.
Dr.Andrew Lynk, a Sydney pediatrician, said he congratulates the hotel on its “progressive” initiative. However, knowing that cleaning staff in other hotels remain in contact with second-hand smoke is alarming.
“All workers should benefit from the smoking ban,” he said. “It should apply to all hotel and motel rooms. It’s an issue of protecting workers’ health.”