Nursery worker smoking

[Russell19]

My DS will soon be going to a very local nursery (think small village) AIBU to be put off by what I saw today?

Right next to the nursery was a worker wearing nursery branded clothes, polo and fleece smoking a cigarette. I get that people smoke, nothing against that but I naively thought they would change clothes or something to smoke. Never really thought about it before so fully prepared to be told IABU or facts about passive smoking or smoke on clothes.

(Husband, I and all family are non smokers so may impact my judgement)

Is it an issue or not? Just wondered what others' thoughts were.

@RobinsParasiticEye there's a lot of things people shouldn't have thrusted upon them but unfortunately we can't do everything that every person needs or wants!

EmmiJay, (couldn't find a sniffing emoji so this will do

Quite a few extreme reactions. TBH I don't think it would bother me too much. But then I wouldn't define passive smoking as being around someone who simply smells of smoke for a couple of minutes after they've come inside.

• The issue is smoking and passive smoke can be a factor in SIDS deaths. So these disgusting smokers should not be employed.*

There's a difference between someone smoking 3 cigarettes over the course of a day (being generous with breaks here) and very possibly washing hands and removing smokey clothes and their primary caregiver smoking all day and being around them,handling them ,co sleeping etc.

Very harsh to discriminate against smokers when higher levels of smoking have been linked to people who have mental health conditions or who are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

They should wear an outer garment and wash their hands before going back into contact with children but equally I think there’s areas of the UK when children are much more at risk from poor air quality than a nursery workers cigarette smoke and i’ll bet most of you all still drive around in cars!

Carcinogens cling to clothes and hair.i work in a nursery and if we want to smoke we have to change out of uniform first.

I would report to OFSTED. It’s very outdated and dangerous.

And your child will smell vile when she’s held him.

@Russell19 I am having a continuing run in with my local "smoke free" hospital...

basically even they will not do anything. I saw a health worker deliver a patient [gown and drip] outside the front door and roll a cigarette for her. How gross is that.

I think your only hope is to raise it formally with the management of the facility. It is better these days. My DF was in the Brompton Hospital [respiritory diseases] and the other patients smoked in bed.

I am violently anti-smoking. DM died of lung cancer [though not currently smoking] at age 40

Some of my old nursery staff used to smoke. They would be huddled with overcoats and hats to stop their hair smelling. Smoking in uniform is rank.

Amazed that people think smoking in uniform is ok.

NHS guidance says a change of clothes after smoking, wash hands etc if you are going to be around babies and toddlers immediately after. So yes, I would have a problem with this and it would make me not send my child there tbh.

I'm surprised they don't have a smoking policy for staff. Nothing drastic but cover uniform, stay round the back of the building and wash hands after.

It would put me off I must admit

If a nursery advertised specifically for staff who don't smoke I bet they'd be up on discrimination charges or similar.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.