Fire-resistant outdoor furniture can improve safety levels in unsupervised smoking areas, while naturally delivering weather-proofing advantages too.
In America, NIST - the National Institute of Standards and Technology - is celebrating as all 50 US states have adopted measures to ensure that dropped cigarettes do not remain lit for long enough to set fire to furniture.
However, Richard Gann, who led NIST research into the risk of house fires set alight by discarded cigarettes, says there are still risks, even under the new measures.
"While US deaths from cigarette-initiated fires are projected to be reduced by 30%, cigarettes will continue to be the largest cause of US fire deaths," he predicts.
For hospitality operators, choosing the right outdoor furniture can help to make smoking areas safer, regardless of the cigarettes customers choose to smoke there.
Metal furniture can provide a robust seating area that is able to withstand the elements, for a fire-proof and weather-proof solution to outdoor seating.
Chairs and tables alike can be made of metal - and many metal chairs, particularly those intended for outdoor use, are stackable, meaning they can be put somewhere secure at closing time.
Meanwhile, wicker and wood-effect chairs can also cater for outdoor areas with good levels of weather-proofing, if an all-metal approach is not right for the venue in question.