[I Are Baboon]

Anyone else have a smoke-free workplace? I just got out of a meeting where they are going to roll this policy out to the company (management just got the heads up). Employees will not be allowed to smoke while on the clock, period. Not even during breaks. Smoking areas are being eliminated. You can't smoke anywhere on company property, either...not even during non-work hours (ie lunches, before work, and after work). In addition, you are not allowed to smoke at an event in which you are representing the company, such as charity events, conferences, etc.

This is being rolled out in phases and there will be support systems and help in place to assist people in quitting (I do work for a huge hospital after all). But come early 2007, this company will be completely smoke free. It should be interesting to see how this gets enforced.

 

[MMcG]

Big Y is going to do it soon IAB.

 

[stosh]

Anyone else have a smoke-free workplace? I just got out of a meeting where they are going to roll this policy out to the company (management just got the heads up). Employees will not be allowed to smoke while on the clock, period. Not even during breaks. Smoking areas are being eliminated. You can't smoke anywhere on company property, either...not even during non-work hours (ie lunches, before work, and after work). In addition, you are not allowed to smoke at an event in which you are representing the company, such as charity events, conferences, etc.

This is being rolled out in phases and there will be support systems and help in place to assist people in quitting (I do work for a huge hospital after all). But come early 2007, this company will be completely smoke free. It should be interesting to see how this gets enforced.

I always find it funny how many nurses smoke.

 

[jacksonpt]

wow... that's cool. In the winter, people stand just inside the door to the building and smoke (with the door cracked)... then throw the cig butt on the floor.

Smokers are dumb.

 

[sanjuro]

Even though I don't smoke and I don't like being around smokers, I think it's a bit Nazi. If I decide to take a break and walk around the campus, does it matter if I am lighting one up?

And for those who do smoke, do you think they are going to stop for 8 hours, or find some ridiculous way to beat the smoking police?

 

[MtnBikerChk]

That sounds like a great policy!

 

[I Are Baboon]

Part of the issue our company has is that employees stand around right in front of the CANCER CENTER smoking cigarettes. This is not the image the company wants to have. They figure this is a hospital and we should be setting an example.

 

[narlus]

you'd think a big pharma company like the one i work for would institute such a policy.

 

[Tenchiro]

They tried to do that here years ago, but from what I understand it was deemed illegal. Now all the smoking sections are hidden from public view and next to outlying buildings away from the main hospital.

 

[Jeremy R]

That's awesome.
I am hoping that a terrorist finds a way to put a bomb in a cigarette.
Then maybe we can get smoking banned in the whole country.
Just throw it in the Patriot Act somewhere.

 

[antimony]

wow... that's cool.
Smokers are dumb.

I loathe smoke!

 

[stosh]

Even though I don't smoke and I don't like being around smokers, I think it's a bit Nazi. If I decide to take a break around walk around the campus, does it matter if I am lighting one up?

And for those who do smoke, do you think they are going to stop for 8 hours, or find some ridiculous way to beat the smoking police?

Agreed, we aren't socialists for a reason. I think it's crazy that you can't even smoke when you're on a business trip.

I think some of the small towns in Cali have gone overboard and now the businesses have too.

 

[Ciaran]

Kaiser Permanente has tried to implement such a policy, without much success. No smoking on campus so all the smokers step off the curb into the street.

And I am also amazed at how many nurses and doctors smoke.

IAB, your company policy sounds a bit over the top and a bit gestapo. And I am a non smoker.

 

[DRB]

employees stand around right in front of the CANCER CENTER smoking cigarettes.

Awesome. No wonder they haven't cured cancer, the people working there are dumb.

 

[stosh]

you'd think a big pharma company like the one i work for would institute such a policy.

Why do that, they still need to make money!!!

 

[I Are Baboon]

IAB, your company policy sounds a bit over the top and a bit gestapo. And I am a non smoker.

It sounds quite ambitious of them, that's for sure! I'm in favor of the policy, but I don't like the idea that as a manager, I'll have to discipline any of my staff that breaks this policy. "You were smoking on company time. I'm going to have to write you up."

 

[oly]

Did they ban chewing? We dont have alot of smokers where I work, but we seem to have a bunch of people who like the hagen. Noting worse than watching someone spit into a coffe cup or a trash can all day long....

 

[jimmydean]

Most of the companies I work for have somking areas, but never right outside the building. I know at Intel they hide you behind the trash bin. At one company there was a "smoking tent" so you were away from the building and still dry when the weather sucked.

I haven't somked in 7 years and have never liked the smell. If it's away from everyone, I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[narlus]

Why do that, they still need to make money!!!

i don't think we are working on a lung cancer drug. and the amount of $ paid in for medical insurance for smoking-related illness and care is probably quite high.

edit - does your dentist not tell you to brush or floss yr teeth?

 

[Tenchiro]

Most of the companies I work for have somking areas, but never right outside the building. I know at Intel they hide you behind the trash bin. At one company there was a "smoking tent" so you were away from the building and still dry when the weather sucked.

I haven't somked in 7 years and have never liked the smell. If it's away from everyone, I don't see what the big deal is.

I worked for a place that would make all smokers stand in uncovered areas. When asked to put up a tent they cited fire codes and said they couldn't. So most people just stood in the rain.

Although they told me that having my mountian bike inside the building was a fire hazard also...

 

[I Are Baboon]

i don't think we are working on a lung cancer drug. and the amount of $ paid in for medical insurance for smoking-related illness and care is probably quite high.

According to the little powerpoint handout I got at the metting, "smoking costs the US nearly $150 billion a year in healthcare and other expenses."

 

[stosh]

i don't think we are working on a lung cancer drug. and the amount of $ paid in for medical insurance for smoking-related illness and care is probably quite high.

edit - does your dentist not tell you to brush or floss yr teeth?

Ok there Mr. Serious!

 

[OGRipper]

I agree it will be hard to enforce but I also think it's a good idea.

I've never understood the special treatment given to smokers: "Uh, yeah, I'm a junkie, so? You need to accommodate me by letting me get a fix every couple hours."

 

[Echo]

Where do you work IAB? Any tech job openings?

 

[Lex]

There was a company I interview with years ago that is a no-smoking company. If you smoke you cannot work there. They told me it wasn't just on-site but anywhere. I remember thinking that it couldn't possibly be legal but I checked their website and they still make mention of that policy. I'm sure they get some huge discounts on their employee health care program.

 

[Cooter Brown]

although I agree with the no smoking rule for the business campus, there is no legal way to say that they can't smoke on the way into work and on the way home. What next, rubber police coming in during the middle of sex to make sure you're wearing a condom?? Too gestapoesque for me

 

[Lex]

although I agree with the no smoking rule for the business campus, there is no legal way to say that they can't smoke on the way into work and on the way home. What next, rubber police coming in during the middle of sex to make sure you're wearing a condom?? Too gestapoesque for me

I'm just telling you what they told me. If they find out you've been smoking, you're fired. I was shocked that they could even make threats like that.

 

[fiddy_ryder]

good luck..its not gonna happen..you will have people fighting this tooth and nail.

 

[Cooter Brown]

I'm just telling you what they told me. If they find out you've been smoking, you're fired. I was shocked that they could even make threats like that.

I understand, actually my post was directed at IAB's first post. The company I work for has a mandatory seat belt rule. It is a condition of employment, if you are caught not wearing it, it is grounds for termination. If you are in a car accident and not wearing it, they don't pay your healthcare costs. Don't know how they pull that, but hey, they're big business, they can do anything they want I suppose:mumble:

 

[I Are Baboon]

I understand, actually my post was directed at IAB's first post.

No, the policy is that you can't smoke while on the clock, on company property, or representing the company at an event. They're not making people quit, just making them quit during work hours.

 

[bluebug32]

you'd think a big pharma company like the one i work for would institute such a policy.

Wait, you work for a big pharma company? Isn't that one of those big evil corporations in America? Whatever happened to sticking it to the man?

 

[brungeman]

I work for a public high school and schools have a Drug free status. No one is supposed to smoke while on school grounds or while doing stuff in conjunction with the school.

 

[Tenchiro]

Wait, you work for a big pharma company? Isn't that one of those big evil corporations in America? Whatever happened to sticking it to the man?

He is stickin it to him, from the inside. You should see the office supply collection he has amassed. ink:

 

[narlus]

Wait, you work for a big pharma company? Isn't that one of those big evil corporations in America? Whatever happened to sticking it to the man?

i dunno about other pharma companies, but two drugs i was directly involved w/ helped my immediate family (prevnar vaccine for my two kids; BMP-2 for spinal fusion for my mom last month). go ask a rheumatoid arthitis patient if Enbrel's helped out their quality of life at all.

not sure why the 'stick it to the man' label got tossed out there.

 

[bluebug32]

It sounds quite ambitious of them, that's for sure! I'm in favor of the policy, but I don't like the idea that as a manager, I'll have to discipline any of my staff that breaks this policy. "You were smoking on company time. I'm going to have to write you up."

Do you also have to check their lunches for excessive fat and cholesterol?

I agree that smoking (esp. at a hospital) is annoying and unhealthy for those around them, but it's a strong addiction and people can't just quit overnight when a new policy is implimented. They'll be stressed out and want to smoke even more.

 

[Cooter Brown]

............<snip>Not even during breaks. Smoking areas are being eliminated. You can't smoke anywhere on company property, either...not even during non-work hours (ie lunches, before work, and after work).<snip>.............

ah, I read this part and thought that they were dictating that you couldn't smoke anywhere

 

[I Are Baboon]

Do you also have to check their lunches for excessive fat and cholesterol?

Our employee health services department offers free cholesterol screenings and blood pressure readings anytime you want one.

 

[JRB]

Way to catch up. The hospital campus here has been smoke free for about 4 years.

 

[bluebug32]

i dunno about other pharma companies, but two drugs i was directly involved w/ helped my immediate family (prevnar vaccine for my two kids; BMP-2 for spinal fusion for my mom last month). go ask a rheumatoid arthitis patient if Enbrel's helped out their quality of life at all.

not sure why the 'stick it to the man' label got tossed out there.

It's a double-edged sword. Drug companies are great for developing life-saving medicine (and even better if you can develp something used directly by your family), but cornering doctors at gas stations and bribing them to prescribe their drugs, jacking up prices and trying to convince people through commercials that everyone needs their product is just a wee bit shady IMO.

 

[I Are Baboon]