Non Smoking Work Place

rla · April 2006

We are considering going totally smoke free at our workplace. We already have the designated smoking areas, but due to the carelessness of those folks in keeping these areas clean and others complaining that they cannot get into the building without experiencing second hand smoke, we are looking for alternatives. One being no smoking on the premises.

Does anyone have good research on doing this; is it even possible (legal) to declare NO SMOKING ON THE PREMISES? I am in Arkansas and have 125-150 employees in both corporate and manufacturing.

Thank you in advance for your input.

plynnl · April 2006

Washington State has passed a law that absolutely no one is to smoke in any building (including bars). Any smoker has to be outside and at least 25 feet away from any entrance also. Now everyone in this state has a smoke-free workplace.

aliciac · April 2006

As was already said, all of Washington has a smoke-free workplace now! We have an area for smokers though which is in compliance with the 25 foot law. As far as it being legal to declare no smoking on the premises, I am fairly certain that you are allowed to do that. Smokers aren't a protected class.

LarryC · April 2006

Contact your local American Lung Association. They have excellent resources for employers that are doing exactly what you're doing.

E Wart · April 2006

DeKalb County, GA (part of Atlanta) is the same as Washington. Just make sure you set up some places outside the office where smokers can gather, or they will stand right at the doorways. Not a plesant sight for folks coming and going. (Ours are supposed to be 25 ft from building, but on a rainy day do they do it? I don't think so.) It is not usually as bad as you think it might be, espeically if you have "started it" already.
E Wart

HR Hat · April 2006

Ruth:

We are in Arkansas, and have had a No Smoking policy in our buildings for years.

You may want to check the newspaper. Gov. Huckabee just signed a No Smoking in public places bill. Didn't hear exactly what/who was covered.

Jim

LarryC · April 2006

Governor Huckabee?!?!?!

Sounds like something from Minnesota, The Land of 10,000 Goofy Governor Wanabees.

WT · April 2006

Do you have a union? If so, smoking is most likely a matter you will have to negotiate. If there is no union, you would then be free to set policy and work rules as you wish. In that case, you would need to try to balance the needs of the smokers with the needs of nonsmokers. What is it that you really want to do. You do have a duty to provide a safe workplace and to the nonsmoker that should include freedom from second hand smoke. If you have accomplished that, you have done your duty by the nonsmoker. Try to resist the urge to make smoking hard for smokers for "their own good". To the smoker, these issues are very important even though smoking is not politically correct anymore. Decide what your goals are and then procede with caution.

rla · April 2006

No Union. I agree with not making it hard on the smokers for their own good. One of our problems is the mess they leave even though they have ashtrays, etc. to pick up after themselves.

My CFO is pushing for this and I am looking for background to support the agrument that is better to have a designated area (we may need to move it further away from the building) than be smoke free completely.

The governor thing - yes that is his true name and thank goodness he cannot run again.

Thanks to all who are helping me with this.

Non Smoking Work Place

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