The smoking ban also applies to common areas within buildings. This covers corridors, lobby areas and reception areas of buildings such as apartment blocks and hotels.

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You are only entitled to time off work for breaks as set down in Section 12 of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.

Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive (HSE) inspect workplaces to make sure that the ban is being implemented.

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Q: At some intersections, and even some mid-block locations, I see no U-turn signs. I thought U-turns were generally illegal, especially mid-block. If that’s true, then why post no U-turn signs?

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If you’re an Oregonian visiting Washington, you might think we have a bunch of scofflaws making U-turns wherever we please. And if you’re a Washingtonian visiting Oregon, you might get surprised by a ticket for what you thought was a perfectly legal U-turn.

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I don’t usually get into traffic laws in other states, but when a bordering state’s law doesn’t match up with Washington law, it can be helpful to be aware of both. I wonder, question asker, if maybe you learned to drive in Oregon. If so, your understanding of U-turns would make sense. In the Beaver State, U-turns are prohibited at intersections controlled by a traffic signal, between intersections within any city limits, and at any place where a vehicle can’t be seen by an approach driver (within 500 feet in a city and 1000 feet outside a city.)

A STOPPED Non-moving vehicle hit by a RED LIGHT RUNNER at an intersection Without a NO-U-TURN sign POSTED Electric sign RED for on coming car I do not attempt to make u-turns when POSTED…. I had a PERFECT driving record til The RED LIGHT RUNNER hit me. I was not aware I could not turn when safe My OWN INS “PROGRESSIVE” refused to Support my accident & instantly raise my ins from $144.00 per month to $155.00 & NOW $275.00…. Outrageous! If a person has a first time ticket Your aloud to take a class to correct your driving record. Why if you’re not aware of an OREGON LAW about NO U TURNS not being posted We need enforced classes to erase accident Not caused by you but by a RED LIGHT RUNNER ( wittiness saw it) but not able to get name. Plus Woman who hit me did give me in’s info but left the scene so I could not give her my info. & could not be found. If there is a charge for reporting this info To you… then please ignore My Email site is not accessible by myself. Please TEXT OR CALL OR BOTH. I’m requesting a “TORT ATTY ONLY” Respectfully, Susan Bigham-Lanning 541-499-8343

If you are unsatisfied with how your complaint is dealt with, contact your local Environmental Health Service within the HSE or call the National Tobacco Control Office compliance line on 1800 333100.

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Public health laws state that smoking is not allowed in enclosed workplaces to protect employees and the public from exposure to the harmful and toxic effects of tobacco smoke.

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While these places are exempt, employers can still designate certain areas of their premises as smoking or non-smoking to minimise risk.

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

I was surprised a few years ago to learn how lenient Washington law was, and assumed it was a change in the law since Driver’s Ed. But I grew up in Bremerton, so perhaps my Driver’s Ed teacher taught the local ordinance (without the part about threat of criminal prosecution).

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You are not allowed to smoke in an enclosed place of work. This includes various settings such as offices, aircraft, trains, company vehicles, health premises, schools, colleges, cinemas, theatres, licensed premises, and clubs.

E-cigarettes (or vapes) are not covered under the smoking ban. Your employer should have its own policy on using e-cigarettes in the workplace. If you are unsure about the rules on vaping in your workplace, check with your employer.

I was surprised to know that Bremerton has it in their code as a misdemeanor. I think your experience is fairly common – there are quite a few cities with some sort of additional U-turn prohibition. Most that I found are limited to a specific area (usually downtown), but a few are more expansive.

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In cities where the local U-turn law mostly matches the state law but has a few exceptions, you might find signs where U-turns are prohibited. In cities where there generally prohibited, you’re probably not going to see “No U-turn” signs everywhere, so it’s up to you to be aware of the law. It’s also unrealistic to know the various iterations of U-turn laws in every municipality across the state, so if you’re in a city where you don’t know their U-turn laws, you might want to be extra-cautious. Safety is the first priority, but also the legal penalties might be more than you expect. As a final example, Bremerton’s municipal code states that U-turns are prohibited everywhere unless there is a sign allowing it, and violation of the law is a misdemeanor (a crime, yikes!) rather than a civil infraction like most traffic violations.

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Washington law seems lax in comparison. Here, U-turns are generally allowed as long as you can do them safely and without interfering with other traffic. The two restrictions in state law are that you can’t make a U-turn in a curve or when approaching a hill if your vehicle can’t be seen by an approaching driver within 500 feet. Historical side note: Prior to 1975, the law didn’t even include the part about making U-turns safely and without interfering with other traffic. It just prohibited them on curves and hills.

For example, the owners of a nursing home could specify that residents can only smoke outside or in a designated smoking room.

Employers are legally responsible for ensuring that staff, customers, and visitors comply with the ban on smoking in the workplace.

A: I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “God allows U-turns.” Either that’s a metaphor or God hasn’t gotten through to the law makers in some cities and states. Here in Washington, that bumper sticker and our state law are closely aligned, but that’s not the case in our neighbor state to the south (or some cities in our state).

They check that smoke-free measures are implemented in workplaces connected with the food, hospitality, and leisure sectors as part of their general compliance with health and safety requirements.

Given the few limitations in the law, you can probably imagine (or you’ve found yourself in) places where you’d never consider making a U-turn, even though the situation isn’t specifically described in the law. To address U-turn safety concerns, cities can write local laws that prohibit U-turns on specific streets, districts, or even the entirety of the city. As examples, Yakima prohibits U-turns in their business district (unless there is a designated U-turn lane) and mid-block U-turns outside a business district. Tacoma generally prohibits U-turns throughout the city unless they’re at intersections without any traffic control signs, signals, or markers (which you’ll only find in very low-traffic areas), in locations where “the U-Turn is made through an opening provided for that purpose,” or at an intersection with a sign authorizing a U-turn.