Image

What's Your Policy on E-Cigarettes in the Workplace?

Sept. 25, 2013
Many (if not most) offices and manufacturing plants in the United States ban cigarette smoking inside their facilities.

Here in Ohio, it's been the law since November 2006, when voters approved a ballot initiative banning smoking in any enclosures where there are employees. Although smoking already was prohibited in the office where I work, the ballot initiative prompted our building owners to implement a policy requiring smokers to stand 30 feet away from the building entrances. (A few of our smokers comply with this.)

Many (if not most) offices and manufacturing plants in the United States ban cigarette smoking inside their facilities.

Here in Ohio, it's been the law since November 2006, when voters approved a ballot initiative banning smoking in any enclosures where there are employees. Although smoking already was prohibited in the office where I work, the ballot initiative prompted our building owners to implement a policy requiring smokers to stand 30 feet away from the building entrances. (A few of our smokers comply with this.)

In a manufacturing facility, smoking isn't just a health issue – it's a major safety concern. It's just not sensible to have people lighting up in close proximity to chemicals and materials that are flammable or combustible. Consequently, it seems that most factories have no-smoking policies, or at least have designated smoking areas. Some even subsidize smoking-cessation programs.

And that brings me to e-cigarettes.

A Healthier Alternative?

E-cigarettes – short for electronic cigarettes – are battery-operated devices that are designed to deliver nicotine, flavor and other chemicals through a vapor that is inhaled by the user.

If you've never seen an e-cigarette, the concept is simple. The device has a battery and a heating element. "When activated, the heating element boils a small amount of liquid in the device, creating a vapor, which is then inhaled by the user," ProVape Inc. explains on its website.

E-cigarette manufacturers tout these devices as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes.

ProVape, for example, notes that traditional cigarettes emit more than 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known carcinogenic compounds and 400 other toxins. By contrast, the liquid and vapor in ProVape's e-cigarette contains four main ingredients, according to the company: nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine and flavoring.

Sounds a lot healthier than huffing down a Marlboro, right?

Health Effects Unknown

Here's the problem: The FDA has not thoroughly studied "the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes," which means users "have no way of knowing whether e-cigarettes are safe for their intended use," according to the FDA's website.

Furthermore, users also have no way of knowing "how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use," the FDA says.

And then there's the issue of secondhand smoke. It's clear that inhaling secondhand cigarette smoke is a health hazard, especially in poorly ventilated areas. But what about inhaling secondhand e-cigarette vapor?

Gray Area

E-cigarette maker Blu Ecigs – recently acquired by tobacco giant Lorillard Inc. – notes that its device "produces an odorless vapor that disappears in several seconds, unlike cigarette smoke."

Consequently, Blu boasts that its e-cigarettes "can be smoked in bars, restaurants, planes (most international and private), offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect." However, the company's website also urges users to check with the location before using its product.

Considering the dearth of research on the potential health hazards of e-cigarettes, this emerging technology is in a bit of a gray area for regulators and employers. However, with sales of e-cigarettes soaring, it's an issue that employers soon will need to address – if they haven't already.

I'm curious: Has your workplace come up with a policy regulating the use of e-cigarettes? 

About the Author

Josh Cable Blogger | Senior Editor

Josh Cable is senior editor of EHS Today, a Penton publication. In his nearly 15 years as a journalist, he has covered a wide range of topics, including banking and finance, occupational safety and health, government purchasing and U.S. manufacturing. As a former editorial-staff member of Penton’s IndustryWeek and Occupational Hazards, he has toured dozens of manufacturing facilities, establishing himself as a subject-matter expert in world-class production, quality and safety systems.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Mitigating Risks: Strategies for Safeguarding Workers in Hazardous Workplaces

Jan. 13, 2025
Join our expert team in taking on the challenge to make safety part of your organization’s DNA as work, the workforce, and workplaces evolve.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!