Good Health is Good Business:

Transcription

1 Good Health is Good Bsiness: A Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy Gide

2 ABLE OF CONT EN TS Introdction Impact of Tobacco Use Benefits of Tobacco Free Workplace Tobacco-Free Workplace Gronds: Step-by-Step Gide Convene a work grop Develop yor policy Identify cessation resorces Annonce the policy Commnicate the policy Post positive and prominent signage Monitor and evalate How the Sothern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition can help Appendix A: Sample Policy Endnotes 13 Improve employee health and prodctivity AND yor bottom line by making yor worksite tobacco-free.

3 INTRODUCTION More and more bsinesses are discovering the benefits of making their worksites tobacco-free, inclding improvements in employee health and prodctivity and significant savings to their bottom line. The costs associated with tobacco se in both lives and money are wellestablished. Each year in the United States, an estimated 443,000 people die prematrely from smoking or exposre to secondhand smoke, and another 8.6 million live with a serios illness cased by smoking. 1 The estimated costs of smoking-related medical expenses and loss of prodctivity exceed $167 billion annally. 2 Employers incr a considerable share of the overall costs of tobacco se. A recent comprehensive analysis fond that employees who smoke cost an employer on average $5,816 more than a non-smoking employee de to increased absenteeism, loss of prodctivity related to nicotine addiction, smoke breaks, and extra health care costs. 3 Tobacco-free workplaces protect employees, visitors and clients from the harmfl effects of secondhand smoke, spport the efforts of smokers who want to qit, and increase the nmber of smokers who are motivated to qit. Good Health is Good Bsiness: A Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy Gide highlights the benefits of a tobacco-free workplace environment and provides step-by-step gidance to make yor bsiness property tobacco-free. This gide can help yo pt thosands of dollars back into yor bsiness and improve the lives of yor employees. 1

4 IMPACT OF TOBACCO USE Tobacco se remains the leading preventable case of disease and death in the United States. 4 Tobacco-related illness acconts for abot 443,000 deaths each year. 5 In New York State there are 25,500 deaths every year from cases attribtable to smoking. 6 Tobacco se can case chronic lng disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke, in addition to cancer of the lngs, larynx, esophags, and moth. 7 Cigarette btts are a major and persistent sorce of litter. Despite the fact that 86% of smokers consider cigarette btts litter, three-qarters of them reported disposing of btts on the grond or ot of a car window at some point. 19 Most cigarette btts are littered on the grond (85%), into bshes/shrbbery (37%), on or arond trash receptacles (25%), and into planters (15%). 20 Cigarette btts, the plastic filters and remnants of smoked cigarettes, are discarded in natral environments, streets, sidewalks, and other pblic areas. Some of these btts may then be carried as rnoff to drains, ltimately pollting rivers, beaches, and oceans. 21 Litter has a nmber of negative conseqences, inclding sbstantial costs to bsiness and government, and redced property vales. Estimates for the cost of litter show that $11.5 billion are spent on abatement and clean-p activities each year, and this nmber probably nderestimates the tre costs. 22 There is no risk-free level of exposre to secondhand smoke. U.S. Srgeon General 2

5 Secondhand smoke has been repeatedly identified as a health hazard. The U.S. Srgeon General conclded that there is no risk-free level of exposre to secondhand smoke. 8 Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known hman carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Pblic Health Service s National Toxicology Report. 9 Even brief exposres to secondhand smoke may increase the severity of asthma attacks and lower respiratory tract infections and have adverse effects on the heart. 10 Exposre to secondhand smoke increases the risk of coronary heart disease by approximately 30 percent. 11 Secondhand smoke is responsible for approximately 47,400 deaths among nonsmokers each year in the United States. 12 Exposre to secondhand smoke anywhere has negative health impacts, and exposre to secondhand smoke occrs at significant levels otdoors. Irritation from secondhand smoke begins at levels as low as 4 micrograms per cbic meter, and in some otdoor sitations this level can be fond as far away as 13 feet from a brning cigarette. 13 To be completely free from exposre to secondhand smoke in otdoor places, a person may have to move nearly 25 feet away from the sorce of the smoke, abot the width of a two lane road. 14 Smoking cigarettes near bilding entryways can increase air polltion levels by more than two times as compared to backgrond levels, with maximm levels reaching the hazardos range on the US EPA s Air Qality Index. 15 Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking and also cases death and disease. Smokeless tobacco se cases lekoplakia, a disease casing white patches to form in the ser s moth that can become canceros. 16 Smokeless tobacco prodcts are known to case lng, laryngeal, esophageal, and oral cancer. 17 The reglar se of snff dobles the ser s risk of cardiovasclar disease and death. 18 3

6 Benefits of a Tobacco-Free Workplace Protects employees, visitors and clients from the harmfl effects of secondhand smoke exposre. Lowers absenteeism de to smoking-related illnesses. People who smoke, on average, miss 6.2 days of work per year de to sickness compared to nonsmokers, who miss 3.9 days of work per year. 23 Increases worker prodctivity. Tobacco se is a leading case of worker lost prodction time more than alcohol abse or family emergencies. Lost prodction time estimates for workers who report smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day were 75% higher than for nonsmoking employees or for employees who had previosly qit. 24 May redce direct healthcare costs. Employees exposed to secondhand smoke on the job are 12% to 19% more likely to get lng cancer. 25 Exposre to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart attack by 25% to 35%. 26 Tobacco-free policies redce heart disease and respiratory infections among employees. 27 May be basis for negotiating lower health, life, and disability premim costs as employee tobacco se is redced. Redces the risk of fires. Redces maintenance costs by eliminating cigarette litter. Increases the crb appeal of yor worksite and makes a better impression on clients and visitors. Increases the nmber of smokers who are motivated to qit and spports the efforts of smokers who want to qit. Promotes consistency and eqity in how smoking and non-smoking employees are treated. 4

7 Tobacco-Free Workplace Gronds: A Step-by Step Gide Recommended Steps at a Glance: Convene a work grop. Develop yor policy. Identify available cessation resorces for employees. Annonce the tobacco-free policy. Commnicate the policy to employees, clients, cstomers and visitors. Post positive and prominent tobacco-free signage. Monitor and evalate the policy. Convene a Work Grop Convening a work grop with diverse employee representation is the best way to identify and address concerns pfront and to secre organizational by-in for the long-term. Members shold inclde stakeholders from all areas of yor bsiness inclding, bt not limited to: hman resorces, senior administrators, gronds/facilities management, section/departmental heads, labor grops, secrity staff, and smokers as well as non-smokers. Work grop members shold be appointed or solicited as necessary. An employee skilled at facilitating workgrops and managing projects shold lead the grop to ensre the process is moving along. Develop yor policy The policy shold be clear, concise and consistent. At a minimm, the policy shold inclde the following sections: Rationale & Goal, Definitions, Scope, Compliance, and Effective Date. A sample policy template is inclded (Appendix A). Rationale & Goal The rationale shold state simply, clearly and concisely, yor company s reasons for adopting a tobacco-free policy. If possible, the rationale shold be aligned with yor company mission statement. Common reasons for a tobacco-free policy inclde improving employee health and promoting respect for others and the environment. Definitions Inclde definition(s) of key terms inclded in the policy sch as smoking and tobacco prodcts. (See Appendix A for details.) Considerations that may arise when preparing the definition section of yor policy: Will the definition of tobacco prodcts inclde noncombstible forms of tobacco (chewing tobacco and snff)? Will smoking inclde other nicotine delivery prodcts that are not approved by the FDA for cessation prposes sch as e-cigarettes? 5

8 Scope The policy shold clearly state the prohibited behaviors and the areas of the property to which the policy applies. Policies that make the workplace property 100% tobacco-free are the most effective in eliminating nwanted exposre to secondhand smoke. Becase property lines are sally easier to define, 100% tobacco-free policies also facilitate volntary compliance and enforcement. Designating a particlar area for tobacco se or allowing tobacco se inside personal vehicles may seem like reasonable accommodations for employees who smoke however there are good reasons to avoid these allowances. Designated smoking areas do not eliminate nwanted exposre to secondhand smoke. Designated smoking areas are likely to ndermine a smoker s motivation to qit and their ability to qit and stay qit. Designated smoking areas are often more difficlt to define, ndermining volntary compliance and making enforcement more challenging. For these reasons, many bsinesses that initially developed a policy with designated smoking areas have since eliminated them. If yo decide to make yor property 100% tobaccofree and yor property borders other poplated properties, consider the impact of the new policy on yor neighbors and the srronding neighborhood. Then take steps to prevent problems with tobacco se on neighboring properties before they arise. Informing yor neighbors of yor plans and soliciting their inpt can also help to prevent ftre problems. smoke and want to qit shold be provided with information and access to cessation services. Secrity staff shold know how to address non-compliance and to whom it shold be reported. Spervisors shold nderstand how to deal with a non-compliant employee and also know what help they can receive from Hman Resorces. Finally, let employees know who to contact if they have a complaint abot smoking in nathorized areas and/or to report a violation. Effective Date Allow between three to six months from the date of annoncing the policy to the date the policy takes effect. This lead time is necessary to allow employees to develop personal plans for how they will comply with the new policy and for other employees to nderstand their respective role(s) in implementing the policy. Some employees may choose to redce their tobacco se or make qit attempts and other employees may need training to ensre that they are prepared to flfill their responsibilities to the new policy. There are also logistical considerations sch as the preparation and installation of signage, dismantling of existing smoking hts and removal of btt receptacles, if needed. If the time frame works, consider making the effective date the same as an internal milestone sch as the company anniversary or a national observance sch as the Great American Smoke-Ot, World No Tobacco Day, or Kick Btts Day. Tanglewood Natre Center went tobacco-free in 2016 in order to protect the health of employees, visitors, and wildlife. Compliance In general, tobacco-free policies tend to be selfenforcing, with high compliance rates. If possible, se existing disciplinary procedres to respond to noncompliance. Otherwise, be clear and specific abot how violations will be handled. Ensre that all employees nderstand the policy and their responsibilities. For example, employees that 6

9 Identify available cessation resorces for employees Provide detailed information to employees abot cessation resorces available to help them qit sccessflly, inclding the benefits provided to employees throgh the company s existing health plan, if applicable. Inform yor employees of any additional spport the company will offer sch as on-site cessation grops. Two resorces that can be made available are the NYS Smokers Qitline and The Btt Stops Here program provided by the Center for Smoking Cessation at St. Peter s Health Partners. The New York State Smokers Qitline (1-800-NY-QUITS) is a free and confidential service that provides help to New Yorkers who want to stop smoking. Copled with cessation coverage available throgh yor company s health plan, employees who tilize the New York State Smokers Qitline are more likely to be sccessfl in their qit attempts. The Qitline offers: Telephone coaching in English and Spanish. Translations throgh Langage Line Services are available for other langages. A starter kit of FREE nicotine replacement medications for eligible smokers. Access to an online commnity of other smokers trying to qit, cessation advice from Qit Coaches, and individalized qit smoking plans. Coaching and NRT coverage for at least two qit smoking attempts per year. Steben Conty Pblic Health is pleased to offer Freedom From Smoking! This is a FREE 10 session program can help individals qit sccessflly! Freedom From Smoking is a niqe program that teaches individals how to overcome their tobacco addiction... so they can start enjoying the benefits of better health. Small grop setting Fn, interactive learning environment Participant workbook and other informative materials provided Topics inclde: Medicines that can help yo stop smoking Lifestyle changes that make qitting easier Preparing for Qit Day Managing stress Avoiding weight gain Developing a new self-image Staying smoke-free for good 7 Contact Lorelei Wagner with qestions by to loreleiw@co.steben.ny.s or call

10 Annonce the tobacco-free policy Administrative spport for the policy is crcial to its sccess. For this reason, it s recommended that the policy be annonced throgh a formal written commnication from the company owner/president/or CEO. Tobacco-free policies also provide opportnities for media coverage that pts yor bsiness in a positive light. Consider issing a press release or hosting a press conference to pblicly annonce yor policy and yor reasons for going tobacco-free. Consider a kick-off date for the policy srronding an internal milestone sch as the company anniversary or a national observance sch as the Great American Smoke-Ot or Kick Btts Day. Commnicate the policy to employees, cstomers/clients, and visitors Commnicating yor policy well in advance of the effective date will help bild spport, give yo the opportnity to flly address qestions and concerns, and will likely increase compliance later on. Monitor and Evalate the Policy Be sre to commnicate expectations to spervisors abot their specific responsibilities to implementation and compliance. Encorage them to have discssions with their staff and prepare them to field qestions and concerns. Keep employees informed abot the details of the company policy, changes to health plan coverage, and the availability of services to help them qit tobacco se. Use yor company s standard commnication channels sch as the intranet, payroll stffers, company newsletter, company website, posters, displays, presentations, information kits, brown bag lnches, employee orientation/handbook, and staff/ A good monitoring plan shold inclde mechanisms for management meetings. gathering information abot compliance/noncompliance rates and how consistently employees are Informational materials prominently located in the flfilling their responsibilities to the policy (sec-rity, reception area(s) can help inform non-employees spervisors, administration, etc.), inclding how (visitors, vendors, cstomers/clients) that the policy disciplinary procedres are being carried ot. Data change is forthcoming and that it applies to them. collected from ongoing monitoring will help yo identify and respond to problems qickly and decisively. The best policy in the world is only as good as its enforcement and it doesn t take long for people to recognize when a policy is all bark and no bite. If yo re serios abot improving the health of yor employees and maximizing compliance, it s essential to have mechanisms in place by which to monitor and evalate the policy. The problems will not go away and they are likely to worsen withot administrative intervention. ve Evalations can also help identify strengths and weaknesses of yor facility s tobacco-free policy. It is recommended that at least dring the first year of implementation, yo establish a process to review yor policy periodically throgh employee srveys, reglar staff meetings, etc. Post positive and prominent tobacco-free signage Signs that commnicate a positive message (ex: This property is tobacco-free, thank yo for yor cooperation ) may foster better compliance than signs that simply state No Smoking on premises. Signage shold be strategically located to best ensre that all those visiting yor camps will be informed that the property is tobacco-free. It is also a good Throgh ongoing monitoring and periodic evalation, idea to place signage, at least temporarily, where yo shold have the information yo need to ensre the tobacco sers crrently congregate. policy s sccess. 9

11 How the Sothern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition can help The Sothern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition (STTAC) is available to help yo every step of the way. To agment the information provided in this gide, STTAC will provide: T elephone, or in-person technical assistance, inclding presentations or informational sessions S ample policies, sample employee otreach materials, FAQs, and timelines H elp in planning a policy kick-off event or press conference, inclding issing a press release, secring speakers, etc. A ssistance identifying and accessing local cessation services for yor employees N o-cost tobacco-free signage for yor property Project3 2/24/10 11:26 PM Page 1 We ve led both large and small local bsinesses throgh a smooth and simple process to reach their tobacco-free policy goals. We have the tools and experience to help yo, too! CONTACT US Sothern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition 103 Washington Street Elmira, NY

12 APPENDIX A: SAMPLE POLICY RATIONALE & GOAL Tobacco se is the leading case of preventable death and disability in the United States. The U.S. Srgeon General has stated that there is no risk-free level of exposre to secondhand smoke; even brief exposre can be dangeros. The Environmental Protection Agency classifies secondhand smoke as a Class A carcinogen, the most dangeros category of cancer-casing agents. Company Name desires to protect the health, comfort, and safe working environment for employees, vendors and visitors. The goal of this tobacco-free policy is to create a healthy and respectfl environment by redcing exposre to secondhand smoke and promoting tobacco cessation. DEFINITIONS Tobacco prodcts incldes cigarettes, pipes, cigars, spit tobacco, electronic cigarettes, hookah, and other prodcts containing tobacco. Tobacco se is the act of sing any tobacco prodct in any company facility or otdoor area, inclding chewing tobacco, and the act of smoking or carrying a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other smoking material or device. Company Name property shall be all bildings, gronds or vehicles owned, leased, operated, controlled or spervised by the Company. SCOPE The se of any Tobacco Prodct is prohibited on Company Property and in all vehicles on Company Property. This policy applies to all Company Name employees, contractors and visitors. COMPLIANCE Adherence to the tobacco-free policy is the responsibility of all Company Name employees, clients, and visitors. Employees who do not conform to this policy are sbject to disciplinary action. Employees observing individals not employed by Company Name violating this policy shold corteosly inform them of this policy and reqest their compliance. Employee complaints of violations or qestions regarding the interpretation or enforcement of this policy can be directed to Hman Resorces. EFFECTIVE DATE This policy will go into effect on DATE. 12

13 ENDNOTES 1 US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Annal Smoking-Attribtable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Prodctivity Losses United States , November 14, 2008/ 57(45). 2 US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sstaining State Programs for Tobacco Control: Data Highlights, Berman, Micah; Crane, Rob; Seiber, Eric; Mnr, Mehmet. Estimating the cost of a smoking employee. Tobacco Control tobaccocontrol Pblished Online First: 3 Jne 013 doi: /tobaccocontrol US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use: Targeting The Nation s Leading Killer, Ibid. 6 US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, State-Specific smoking-attribtable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost---US , Janary 23, 2009/ 58(02).. 7 US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use: Targeting The Nation s Leading Killer, US Department of Health and Hman Services, Office of the Srgeon General. How Tobacco Smoke Cases Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attribtable Disease: A Report of the Srgeon General, Ibid. 10 Ibid. 11 Barnoya J and Glantz S. Cardiovasclar Effects of Secondhand Smoke: Nearly as Large as Smoking. Circlation, 111; US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use: Targeting The Nation s Leading Killer, Jnker MH, Danser B, Monn C, et al. Acte Sensory Responses of Nonsmokers at Very Low Environmental Tobacco Smoke Concentrations in Controlled Laboratory Settings. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109(10): Repace JL. Benefits of Smoke-Free Reglations in Otdoor Settings: Beaches, Golf Corses, Parks, Patios, and in Motor Vehicles. William Mitchell Law Review, 34(4): Repace JL. Benefits of Smoke-Free Reglations in Otdoor Settings: Beaches, Golf Corses, Parks, Patios, and in Motor Vehicles. William Mitchell Law Review, 34(4): Kafman P, Zhang, B, Bondy S, et al. Not jst a few wisps : real-time measrement of tobacco smoke at entrances to office bildings. Tobacco Control. Pblished Online First: 21 December doi: /tc International Agency for Research on Cancer. Smokeless Tobacco and Some Tobacco-Specific N-Nitrosamines. Lyon, France: World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer; IARC Monographs on the Evalation of Carcinogenic Risks to Hmans Volme US Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use: Targeting the Nation s Leading Killer, Hatskami DK and Severson HH. Oral Spit Tobacco: Addiction, Prevention, and Treatment. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 1(1): Rath JM, Rbenstein RA, Crry LE, Shank SE, Cartwright JC. Cigarette Litter: Smokers Attitdes and Behaviors. International Jornal of Environmental Research and Pblic Health. 2012;9(6). 20 Keep America Beatifl, Inc., The 2009 National Visible Litter Srvey and Litter Cost Stdy, Janary Novotny TE, Lm K, Smith E, Wang V, Barnes R. Cigarette Btts And The Case For An Environmental Policy On Hazardos Cigarette Waste. Int J Environ Res Pblic Health. 2009;6(5). 22 Keep America Beatifl, Inc., The 2009 National Visible Litter Srvey and Litter Cost Stdy, Janary Stewart W.F., Ricci J.A., Chee E., Morganstein D. Lost prodctive work time costs from health conditions in the United States: Reslts from the American Prodctivity Adit. Jornal of Occpational and Environmental Medicine 2003; 45(12): Ibid. 25 International Agency for Research on Cancer: Tobacco Smoke and Involntary Smoking: Smmary of Data Reported and Evalation. Volme 83, Chapter 5.4: Other relevant data, U.S. Department of Health and Hman Services. The Health Conseqences of Smoking: What it Means to Yo, A Report of the Srgeon General, Atlanta GA: U.S. Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Save Lives, Save Money: Make Yor Bsiness Smoke-Free. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Hman Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, Jne Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Srveillance System (BRFSS), 2001 and New York State Department of Health,