promoting smoke-free policies a guide for...

PROMOTING SMOKE-FREE POLICIES A GUIDE FOR WORKPLACES

PROMOTING SMOKE-FREE POLICIES

A GUIDE FOR WORKPLACES


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The space around your workplace tells a lot about the kind of company you are. Making your business welcoming by keeping it free from second-hand smoke (SHS) shows you care about the health of others and the environment. There is no safe level of SHS- inside or outside. (1) Even a small amount of SHS can affect health. Any employee or customer that passes by someone smoking will be exposed to SHS. SHS can cause lung cancer, trigger heart problems and make breathing conditions such as asthma worse. (2) Children, seniors, pregnant women and people with heart and breathing problems are even more at risk of the health effects caused by SHS.

This guide has been created to help employers protect their employees and customers from SHS. The guide explains the “why” and “how” of creating, promoting, and enforcing smoke-free policies in workplaces.

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SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE LEGISLATION

In Ontario, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) bans smoking:

• inside enclosed workplaces,• in workplace vehicles,• in enclosed public places,• on all school property, and• within nine (9) meters of entrances or exits of

workplaces under the Public Hospitals Act, the Private Hospitals Act, the Mental Health Act, Nursing Homes Act, and the Charitable Institutions Act, the Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act and the Independent Health Facilities Act.

Some cities have banned outdoor smoking on all city owned properties or within a certain distance of entrances of businesses and municipal buildings. Some cities have also banned smoking on outdoor restaurant and bar patios and terraces.

Business owners have the legal right to make policies to restrict smoking at entrances and on outdoor property.

Presently, smoking is banned inside all enclosed workplaces, workplace vehicles and public places.

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Smoking bans help reduce heart and breathing problems. (7)

In 2008, 53% of Ontarians reported being exposed to SHS at entrances. (3) More than one third of Canadians believe that smoking should not be allowed anywhere at the workplace, indoors or outdoors. (4)

Walking through SHS near entrances is not only unpleasant for clients, and employees; it is also a proven health hazard. There is no safe level of exposure to SHS. (1)

Workplaces that create a smoke-free policy for entrances and property show leadership in their efforts to support and protect the health of their employees, visitors, clients and contractors by reducing everyone’s exposure to SHS and encouraging smokers to quit.

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Your business is protected from lawsuits that can be brought against employers from employees and clients exposed to SHS. (6)

WHY CONSIDER SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACES?

There are more cleaning costs from the litter caused by discarded cigarette butts. (5)

Smoking around doorways presents a poor image to the general public and visitors. (5)

A smoke-free policy gives the employer the chance to provide staff with education and quit smoking support. The policy should also explain how it will be enforced.

The Conference Board of Canada estimated that it costs employers $4,256 for each employee that smokes — up from $3,396 in 2005. This includes the costs of increased absenteeism and decreased productivity. (8)

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STEPS TO CREATE A SMOKE-FREE POLICY

There are four basic steps to follow when making a smoke-free policy:

CREATE THE POLICY

PROMOTE THE POLICY

REINFORCE THE POLICY

REVIEW THE POLICY

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STEP ONECREATE THE POLICY

The policy needs to be clear and state that your company wants to protect customers and employees from SHS. It should also include how you plan to reinforce and review the policy.

Here are some helpful tips to get started:

• Put together your case for wanting to create the smoke-free policy by using the information provided in this guide on the benefits of having a policy. Include the costs of tobacco litter clean up if available.

• Build support for the policy. Discuss the idea with your management team or host a staff meeting to determine policy readiness. Provide information about the dangers of SHS, the benefits of a smoke-free policy, and the costs of tobacco litter cleanup to the members at the meeting.

• Consider setting up a working group to give input into the type of smoke-free policy you want to create. The working group should represent all levels of the organization. For example it could include: management, human resources, Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) representatives, union representatives, and employees.

• Decide on the type of smoke-free policy you want. A complete smoke-free policy includes entrances and outdoor property. However, you can create a smoke-free entrance policy first and extend it to include the outdoor property later.

Some questions to consider are:

• Will quit smoking supports be available for employees who use tobacco products?

• Which entrances/exits will be affected by the policy? • Where will the smokers congregate when the policy is in place? • Will the cigarette waste containers be moved to support the new

policy? • Who will enforce the policy? What will be the approach if someone

violates the policy?

Sample policies are included as Appendix A and Appendix B. 11


STEP TWOPROMOTE THE POLICY

It is important that everyone knows about the policy for it to work. Here are some ideas to promote the policy:

• Ask managers to explain the policy at a staff meeting.• Give a copy of the policy to all new employees.• Post the policy in lunch rooms, break rooms, and/or locker rooms.• Provide information about the policy to visitors, clients and contractors.

Use various ways to communicate the policy such as in leaflets, emails and on your company’s website.

• Hold an event to kick off the start of your new policy and celebrate your healthier work environment.

STEP THREEREINFORCE THE POLICY

To make sure your policy works, it needs to be reinforced. Train all staff involved with the policy. Make sure it is clear who will reinforce the policy, and what the procedure will be. Management is often responsible for making sure the policy is followed. Having signs (see Appendix C), and/or a painted line marking off the smoke-free zone will help with reinforcement.

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STEP FOURREVIEW THE POLICY

You may want to review your policy about 6 months after it started.

Sample questions you might ask:

• Are people aware of the policy?• Are people following the policy?• Does anyone need more training?• Are there supports to help people who want to quit smoking? • Is the reinforcement plan working?

It is a good idea to review your policy regularly, and update it if things need to be changed.

Are people aware of the policy?

Are people following the policy?

Is there a need for additional training?

Are there smoking cessation

supports?

Is the reinforcement plan working?

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SAMPLE SMOKE-FREE ENTRANCE POLICY

PurposeCompany X wants to provide a healthy and safe work environment for its employees, clients, contractors and visitors. Company X recognizes the documented evidence which shows that second-hand smoke has many carcinogens, and avoiding exposure to second-hand smoke will help to prevent many major diseases in smokers and non-smokers alike.

Policy StatementIn order to reduce the risk of exposure to second-hand smoke and protect the employees, clients, contractors and visitors of Company X, smoking is prohibited within X metres of the perimeter of all company owned building entrances, including facilities rented for private functions.

“Smoking” is defined as the inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying of any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or other lighted smoking equipment.

ApplicationThere will be no smoking within X metres of the perimeter of any company owned building entrances, exits or loading docks. This will include facilities rented for private functions.

ComplianceIf an employee is seen smoking in a restricted area, the appropriate manager will be advised. Company X employees in violation of this policy will be disciplined in accordance with the Guidelines for Administration of Discipline as outlined in the discipline policy and/or collective agreement. It is the responsibility of management representatives to monitor compliance with this policy among all employees, and to document clearly all steps taken in the application of the policy.

Employees working at Company X are encouraged to promote compliance of the policy to ensure its effectiveness. Anyone witnessing a client, contractor or visitor smoking where smoking is prohibited, will advise the person of the policy, and refer them to the signage. If the person refuses to comply, the employee will immediately notify the nearest available manager, who will inform the individual of the policy. If the individual continues smoking in a restricted area, they will be asked to leave the property.

APPENDIX A

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SAMPLE SMOKE-FREE GROUNDS POLICY

In order to reduce the risk of exposure to second-hand smoke and protect employees, clients, contractors, students and visitors to Company X, effective (insert date), smoking will be prohibited in all Company X owned, operated or leased vehicles, facilities, buildings or on all Company X owned grounds and parking lots. Smoking is not permitted during and beyond working hours anywhere on the grounds of Company X property. Employees, contractors, students and visitors cannot smoke during work time including breaks and meal periods on Company X property. Littering of tobacco-related products on grounds or parking lots is also prohibited. Smoking is not permitted within personal vehicles parked on company property before and after work or during regularly scheduled work breaks.

“Smoking” is defined as the inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying of any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or other lighted smoking equipment.

APPLICATION

This policy applies to all persons accessing Company X owned, operated or leased vehicles, facilities, buildings, grounds and parking lots including but not limited to suppliers, contractors, students and visitors. All prospective employees will be notified of this policy in employment announcements, during their first interview, prior to hire and during orientation. All current Company X employees and staff will be notified of the policy, reasons for the policy, implementation date and expectations for compliance, through various communication tactics, in advance of the policy implementation date. All Company X visitors will be informed of this policy, prior to their visit where possible.

COMPLIANCE

Compliance with the smoke-free workplace policy is mandatory for all employees and persons visiting the Company X property. If an employee is seen smoking in a restricted area, the appropriate manager will be advised. Employees in violation of this policy will be disciplined in accordance with the Guidelines for Administration of Discipline as outlined in the discipline policy and/or collective agreement. It is the responsibility of management representatives to monitor compliance with this policy among all employees and to document clearly all steps taken in the application of the policy. Continued violation of the policy may result in disciplinary action.

APPENDIX B

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ENFORCEMENT

Employees working at Company X are encouraged to enforce the policy to ensure its effectiveness. Anyone who violates this policy will be informed/reminded of the policy and asked to comply (for instance, asked to move off the property or to put out their cigarettes). Those who persist in vio-lating this policy will be asked to leave. Security staff will enforce this policy by informing visitors (who are in vio-lation) of the policy and suggesting off-site areas if they choose to smoke and/or citing employees in violation and initiating corrective action. Site managers are responsible for inform-ing all employees, visitors, students and contractors.

Anyone witnessing a client, contrac-tor, student or visitor smoking where smoking is prohibited, will advise the person of the policy, referring to the signage. If the person refuses to comply, the employee should imme-diately notify the nearest available manager, who will advise the indi-vidual of the policy and advise that if the individual continues smoking in a restricted area, they will be asked to leave the property.

SIGNAGE

Signage indicating that smoking is not permitted within any radius of the company owned building entrance or loading dock will be posted and displayed prominently at all entrances, exits and loading docks.

APPENDIX C

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REFERENCES

1. US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia : Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Centre for Health Promotion, National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006.

2. Health Canada. http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-sante/tobacco-tabac/risks-risques-eng.php.

3. Not just ‘a few wisps’: real-time measurement of tobacco smoke at entrances to office buildings. Kaufman, P., Zhang, B., Bondy, S., Klepeis, N., and Ferrence, R. Toronto : Tobacco Control, 2010.

4. Health Canada. Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (2005). http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca hl-vs/tobac-tabac/researchrecherche/stat/ctums-esutc/index_e.html.

5. Smoking on hospital grounds and the impact of outdoor smoke-free zones. Nagel, A.L., Schofield, M.J. and Redman, S. Tobacco Control, 1996.

6. Legal Risks to Employers Who Allow Smoking in the Workplace. Zellers, L. Thomas, M. and Ashe, M. American Journal of Public Health, 2007.

7. Association of anti-smoking legislation with rates of hospital admission for cardiovascular and respiratory condition. Naiman, A., Glazier, R. and Moineddin, R. Canadian Medical Assocation Journal, 2010.

8. The Conference Board of Canada. Briefing 3 Smoking Cessation and the Workplace: Benefits of Workplace Programs, 2013.

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Hastings & Prince Edward Counties

Health Unit

This guide was adapted and reproduced with permission from Durham Region Health Department.

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