Worksite

There is no longer genuine debate in the scientific community about the health effects of secondhand smoke. Today, the question about secondhand smoke is not whether to protect nonsmokers, but when and how. Smoke-Free Knoxville provides information covering the major areas of activity relating to protecting nonsmokers in workplaces at no cost to the employer. Our goal is to assist employers in making decisions regarding Health Issues, Legal Exposure, Economic Concerns and Policy Options.

If you have any questions about this program or would like assistance from Smoke-Free Knoxville to become a smoke-free worksite, please call (865) 215-5174. More information about worksite smoking issues is listed below.

Reasons for Going Smoke-Free
  • Improves employee morale
  • Protects employees' health
  • Reduces potential legal liabilities
  • Reduces costs
Secondhand Smoke and the Law
  • During the past decade a body of law has developed that gives workers a powerful right to a smokefree workplace. As a practical matter, an employer who permits smoking at work is subject to legal liability for harm caused by secondhand smoke exposure.
  • There have been many cases where courts have ruled in favor of employees and mandated smoking restrictions, smokefree workplaces, and/or monetary settlements.
Secondhand Smoke Is Bad for the Bottom Line
  • Reasons to seek remedies for secondhand smoke include not only concern for the well-being of workers and conformity with legal requirements. In addition, there are sound economic reasons to establish smokefree workplaces.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that operation and maintenance costs would be reduced by $4 to $8 billion annually, if smoking were eliminated in most indoor environments.
  • Secondhand smoke at work harms the health and reduces the productivity of nonsmoking employees. M. Kristein, in an article for Preventive Medicine, estimated that the annual costs of smoking to the average employer, in January 1980 dollars, ranged from $336 to $601 per average smoking employee. Kristein further noted "in general, the emphasis is on the underestimating of the costs to business."
  • In its 1990 "Smoking Cessation Statistics" Kaiser Permanente Medical Group of Southern California estimated that each smoker costs their employer $4,789 per year.
Bar and Restaurant Workers are Especially Vulnerable
  • Levels of secondhand smoke in restaurants are approximately 1.6 to 2.0 times higher than in office workplaces.
  • Levels in bars are 4 to 6 times higher than in offices.
Guidelines for Implementing a Smokefree Policy
  • Educate employees about the health effects of secondhand smoke and the rationale behind the new smokefree policy before it goes into effect.
  • Some employers form a committee including workers, managers, union representatives, nonsmokers, and smokers to help develop the smokefree policy.
  • Announce policy at least three months prior to implementation
  • Provide cessation information - local information can be found on the 215-QUIT webpage.
  • Enforce policy in a nondiscriminatory manner
  • Deal with noncompliance as you would any other personnel issue (e.g. tardiness, inappropriate dress, etc.).
  • CDC Tool Kit
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Obstacles to overcome