
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 9, 1993                   TAG: 9306090216
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

POSTAL SERVICE BANS SMOKING IN FACILITIES

The U.S. Postal Service is banning smoking in postal facilities starting next week.

Postmaster General Marvin Runyon said Tuesday that smoking will be banned in all postal buildings and office space starting June 13 in an effort to provide a safe and healthy environment for postal workers and customers.

Runyon told the monthly meeting of the agency's governing board that "the ban includes lobbies, managers' offices and employee cafeterias."

But he said that local managers, working with employee representatives, will be allowed to decide whether to permit smoking in outdoor locations on postal property.

Currently smoking is allowed in designated areas of post offices. Officials said they decided to ban smoking altogether because of recent Environmental Protection Agency reports on the hazards of smoke in the air.

by CNB