smoking administrator

Jocelyn · November 2001

Some of our managers have had to deal with the issue of body odor and offensive smells, but what do we do with our administrator who smokes? He smokes in the designated outdoor smoking area, but when he returns from a smoke break our whole administrative hallway reeks with the clinging odor. Unfortunately his is the last office at the end of the corridor. We've given him room decorative deodorizers, scented candles (that we're not allowed to burn)and we even have scented candles in our offices. We get him assorted flavors of breath mints, etc. It's still so foul smelling and he doesn't get the hint about him breath. How do we approach him?

dhnyct · November 2001

We have a restroom just inside the doorway from the designated smoking area. Smokers are required to wash their hands and use the mouthwash provided before returning to work. I'd prefer a total ban on smoking, but that proved to be almost impossible to enforce.

JustAnEmployee · November 2001

Do you require employees who eat food with garlic, onions, hot sauce, etc., etc.
to use mouthwash prior to returning from their lunch break? How about employees whom wear perfume or colognes, do they have to wash it off before
entering the office? I'm wondering at what point your policies leave you open to discrimination suits if you don't establish policies that deal with all possibly offensive smells/breath from your employees?

Jocelyn · November 2001

We do address body odors, hygiene, perfumes, and scented lotions in our policies, so I don't know why we can't address this. I've just not heard of anyone doing this.

smarti · November 2001

The reason you have never heard of it being done before is because it could be considered discriminatory. Smokers have rights, non smokers have rights. If you address all other offensive (hard to define) odors, maybe you can address the smokers odor, however, your description of the hallway, etc was even a little extreme. Are you a non smoker by the way? Sure sounds like it. You may want to be a little more tolerant, I'm sure if the smokers could adress attitudes and/or ordors that annoy them, you might be surprised what you hear.
Last, but not least, smoking is not healthy, clean or attractive, but selecting them out for odors may not be a good policy, or philosphy for your company. Get rid of your personal feelings, they show! By the way, I'm not a smoker.

awilliams · December 2001

It is always a dicey situation when you are dealing with people's personal habits. As an allergy sufferer, I would like to post up a big sign by my office that warns people wearing a large amont of perfume or cologne to take a shower before they walk by. But, the fact is, we don't live in caves, we live and work in the real world and we all need to try and get along and deal with the habits of other people that we find offensive. WHile you may want to tell the smokestack to get a life's supply of tic-tacs, you may also need to tell other busy-bodies to not be so rude.

You may want to consider referring the employee to EAP, who may help him with his smoking addiction. In the MLSP HR Executive Special Report entitled, The H in OSHA Stands for Health, there is a whole section on smoking in the workplace and what steps employers can legally take (lessons on tact are up to you). If you are a law center member, you can access this report for free on this website.

Anne Williams
Attorney Editor

smoking administrator

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