Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – The Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) plans to impose a total ban on smoking in all its facilities and vehicles. These include buildings, offices and other facilities, factories, workshops, stockyards, warehouses, elevators, conveyor belts and toilets.

Smoking inside vehicles, equipment, cranes, and boats will also be prohibited, and it will be restricted to smoking areas only.

MAWANI said this in the draft security, safety and environment standards that the authority presented to the public on Sunday in soliciting their observations, suggestions and proposals in this regard.

The draft also proposes prohibiting the sale and refilling of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and their equipment, in addition to banning promotion of smoking anywhere in Saudi ports.

MAWANI has put forward a special standard for smoking at the workplace with setting aside special areas for smokers with an objective to ensure that the work environment is smoke-free.

The scope of this standard includes all ports and port departments, as well as all port employees, operators, contractors, visitors and everyone who enters the port.

The standards were formulated in response to a Royal Decree related to combating smoking in public places and government facilities.