Every day, businesses become more aware of health and safety practices to protect their employees. Business owners notice the dangers of smoking at the workplace and the repercussions of secondhand smoke. If you’re interested in protecting your employees, check out these great tips for protecting employees from secondhand smoke today!
Develop a Non-Smoking Workplace Policy
One way to protect employees from secondhand smoke is by developing a non-smoking workplace policy. When you don’t allow smoking, you get rid of secondhand smoke dangers. If your workplace never had an official policy, it’s the perfect time to create one. You can outline specific places employees cannot smoke and talk about consequences for workplace smoking offenders. Make sure you clearly state your expectations and talk to employees about the new policy.
Provide Designated Smoking Shelters
Another way to protect employees from secondhand smoke is by providing an outdoor smoking shelter. This can accommodate employees who smoke without harming other workers. The shelters provide an enclosed space with an open entranceway and aluminum benches for employees to have a designated smoking area. The installation process is quick and easy, and employers can choose the right spot for their shelter.
Educate Employees on Secondhand Smoke Dangers
Secondhand smoke can contribute to severe health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. In addition, it can harm people with existing medical conditions who have symptom flare-ups from excess smoke. Educate your employees on the dangers of secondhand smoke to help them understand the harmful repercussions of smoking at the workplace. Provide pamphlets and oral presentations about secondhand smoke to further educate and deter employees from smoking at work.
Obtain Support and Commitment From All Employees
The only way to foster a non-smoking environment is by obtaining support and commitment from all employees. Whether they smoke or not, you must ensure they’re committed to creating a safe work environment. They must agree to things like not smoking at the workplace or only smoking in designated areas.
This support will be the backbone of protecting your employees from secondhand smoke.
As businesses become more aware of health and safety practices to protect their employees, they implement new policies to enhance their work environment. One policy includes rules on smoking at the workplace. We hope our tips for protecting employees from secondhand smoke were beneficial to you. If you’re interested in purchasing an outdoor smoking shelter, contact Handi-Hut. We produce top-quality shelters for all workplaces, and we can help you! If you have any questions, call us today.