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Purchase21447  
#1 Posted : 08 April 2010 13:10:43(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Purchase21447

Hi All, I have been asked by a worker if it is possible to simulate smoking with a device called an Electronic Cigarette? he has given me details of the product and the manufactures do state its not a tobacco product, it just contains nicotine and water so there fore isnt covered by the Smokefree Legislation. currently the site is a no smoking site, can this be classed as smoking? I am really unsure which way to go with this one at present so would really like your input please Many thanks Wayne
HSSnail  
#2 Posted : 08 April 2010 13:42:36(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Wayne. This has been discussed a number of times on the forum. Try clicking on the search field above above and type in electronic cigarettes you will gat a list of all previous discussion. The manufactures claim as you say that these products only produce steam so they are outside the smoke free legislation. I am not aware of any prosecutions that have tested this yet but if there is indeed no smoke then it could well be OK from the Smoke Free requirement. You may want to prohibit it for other reasons, e.g. if you are in the food industry there is still hand/mouth contact so there would still be a hygiene issue, or if the person is driving a Fork lift truck, you may think using the devise may impede their safe operation of the equipment, but obviously that’s down to our old friend risk assessment. Hope this is of some help. Brian
Purchase21447  
#3 Posted : 08 April 2010 14:08:05(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Purchase21447

hi Brian, would have done a search however the search function doesnt work at present (for me at least) just keep getting an error message!!
HSSnail  
#4 Posted : 08 April 2010 15:12:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Wayne Sorry about that I was not meaning to have a go at you for posting a question that we have already discussed, I have just tried the search and it works ok for me, which is a bit of a surprise as It usually me that has the problems! Hopefully by adding another reply and getting your post back to the top of the list someone can give you an explanation as why its not working. Brian
PhilBeale  
#5 Posted : 08 April 2010 15:23:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
PhilBeale

One thought might be that other might see the person appearing to be smoking so they would constantly being stopped and told not to smoke. Or others might believe they are smoking and take this as an indication that it is OK to smoke and ignore the rules. If it id your site i guess you can stipulate what is or is not allowed to happen. One get out clause is to offer nicotine patches instead. phil
JayJay  
#6 Posted : 08 April 2010 15:59:14(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JayJay

It's probably a case of wanting to get one over the system so to speak. If the persons seen with it hanging out of his mouth it's a topic of conversation with his colleagues on how he's beat the management. It's like why do contractors wear their hard hats on back to front ? Because its controversial ! Just a personal opinion. From personal experience if something is banned either in work or anywhere else, there will be someone who wants to buck the system. It's human nature i'm afraid
Garfield Esq  
#7 Posted : 08 April 2010 16:05:08(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Garfield Esq

Not an expert in these matters but my view is that employers should encourage any method that helps people to stop smoking. I would be very vary of stopping this fellow because of 'health and safety'. Any issues with hygiene should already be managed by by your SMS anyway. My conclusion. Let the employee use the product but in the same way he would have normally had a cigarette i.e. break-times etc. GC
sean  
#8 Posted : 08 April 2010 16:12:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Guest

I agree with GC, we had a member of staff using this device to stop smoking and had absolutely no problems from any other staff members because he was using it. If this is banned from the workplace, what are they going to do when staff put a pen in their mouth?? ban pens??
Ron Hunter  
#9 Posted : 09 April 2010 00:20:02(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ron Hunter

Legislation states lit tobacco or any other lit substance or mixture. No smoke without fire then. There still might be a hygiene issue here though dependent on tasks, processes and substances used or encountered.
HSSnail  
#10 Posted : 09 April 2010 08:32:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

I think people may be talking about two different products here. Yes there are products that look similar to a cigarette (a plastic tube basically with something inside) and then there is the electronic cigarette marketed as a substitute. I have read reports that these can give a higher “hit” of nicotine and so I cannot see how they would help you stop smoking. There is some medical discussion as to whether the increased levels of nicotine they provide will produce any health issue we do not yet know about. As for banning sucking pens – if it’s a food factory then yes ban sucking pens, biting finger nails (a nasty habit I admit to) or any thing else that has hand mouth contact. If some one is driving a vehicle we all appear to agree that you should not operate a mobile phone or alter a sat nav as it distracts you, but are quite happy for some one to keep taking one hand off the wheal to put a cigarette in your mouth we think that’s OK? Not sure how often it happens but there must be road accidents caused by people dropping hot ash on their laps, do these electric cigarettes get hot and what would happen if you dropped one? Is there an injury or fire risk? As I said originally they may be acceptable under smoke free legislation but acceptable in the work place – Risk assess. Brian
Garfield Esq  
#11 Posted : 09 April 2010 14:55:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Garfield Esq

Had a quick look at some of these 'devices' on the web and everyone (so far) clearly states no smoke is ommitted, rather a nicotene based vapour from an atomiser. No vapour without fire doesn't quite have the same ring to it! Interesting article here... http://www.who.int/media.../2008/pr34/en/index.html Basically, you can't use smoke free legislation to stop this, so its down to your own policy. GC
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