SMOKING BAN EXPANDED

Salt Lake County has extended its new employee no-smoking policy to include all county-owned and leased vehicles.

Since last month the county has prohibited employee smoking in all private offices at the government center complex. Wednesday, county commissioners formally approved the smoking policy - which includes a ban on lighting up in county vehicles.The policy states: "Smoking creates a potential safety hazard for passengers and the driver by needlessly distracting the driver's attention. It also makes the vehicle less attractive for the next user."

County vehicles assigned exclusively to an employee - for example a car assigned solely to a sheriff's detective - are exempt from the smoking ban.

The policy, which limits smoking in all county buildings to specified smoking areas, was recommended by Dr. Harry Gibbons, director of the City-County Health Department, and by the county's Executive Council.