A Company was Fined ¥5000 for Putting Ashtray in Office

A Company was Fined ¥5000 for Putting Ashtray in Office

In a recent enforcement action that has stirred debate, a Shenzhen company was fined 5,000 yuan for maintaining an ashtray in its office, despite prior warnings to remove it. This marks the first penalty of its kind issued in the city's Guangming District, spotlighting a lesser-known regulation that prohibits smoking and related paraphernalia in indoor workplaces.

The incident traces back to April 2022, when health inspectors first discovered the ashtray during a routine check and issued a warning to the company, demanding compliance with the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone's regulations on smoking control. Despite this initial correction request, a follow-up inspection nearly a year and a half later, around December 2023, revealed that the company had failed to take action on the ashtray.

In response to this continued violation, on December 1, 2023, the Guangming District Health Bureau issued an administrative penalty decision, fining the company for non-compliance. The company subsequently accepted the penalty and paid the fine, becoming the first business entity in Shenzhen to be penalized for inadequate smoking control within workplace settings.

The incident has prompted various reactions online, with netizens expressing a range of viewpoints. One commenter questioned, "Are companies and offices considered public places too?" Another raised a practical concern, asking, "Even if no one smokes, is just having an ashtray still not allowed?" Some are skeptical about the motivations behind such fines, suggesting that "they will find any reason to issue fines." 

However, there are also voices in support of the stringent rules, with one individual noting, "It's indeed necessary to prevent people from being involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke in office environments." 

What do you think? Leave your opinions below!

Source: 深圳市卫生监督局, 深圳新闻网

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