# Workplace Vaping Policies



## Wrathserver (26/4/16)

Not sure if there is a thread like this already, did a quick search, but didn't find anything.

Who can share some info on whether their companies have updated their smoking policies to include E-Cigarettes?

Where I work, vaping is met with strange stares, but most people are okay with the whole idea. It is not expressly written in any policy. I don't walk around blowing vapor in everybody's face.

But late afternoon when I am alone in my office, I vape until it seems like a Western Cape veld fire.


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## Rowan Francis (26/4/16)

everybody in my office is fine with my vape , except my boss , so when he's away i vape inside

Reactions: Like 1 | Can relate 1


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## Stosta (26/4/16)

There is nothing explicit at my company, but I treat it like smoking most of the time (IOW I mostly go outside). The only reason I do this is so that nothing gets enforced, that way when I'm too lazy to go outside I can have a bit of a vape at my desk, as there is no policy against it.

Reactions: Like 2 | Can relate 1


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## andro (26/4/16)

My boss is a smoker . He smoke outside off course. I normally vape with him outside . But he doesnt care if i do it inside , so i ll do it outside only because is more social

Reactions: Like 4


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## MurderDoll (26/4/16)

Yeah. 

About that vaping policy at my office. 

In the photo below, that's the top boss of the company I work for. 







And the the end results.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 1 | Funny 11


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## Wrathserver (26/4/16)

Are there any vacancies available???

Reactions: Like 4 | Funny 1


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## GreenyZA (26/4/16)

No official changes were made to our smoking policy in the office but when we vape in the building, the SHEQ has a heart attack, screams at us and make us understand that we are going to get him fired. I vape outside with the smokers and deal with all their shitty comments about how stupid these "Twisp" devices are and how I'm going to die because I'm going to grow a second head and blah blah.... 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: Like 1


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## Rob Fisher (26/4/16)

At my business I encourage smokers to convert to vaping and of the 25+ employee's we only have one smoker left and about 5 vapers... the vapers are welcome to vape at their desks provided they are not hotboxing their co-workers and the co-workers don't mind... it's a lot more productive since they converted and now don't spend unproductive time outside smoking.

Reactions: Like 5 | Winner 3


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## Genosmate (26/4/16)

I have very strict rules in my office,you want to vape its fine,you want to smoke stinkies then FO outside.
Note ; Mostly (but not always) only me in my office

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


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## Wrathserver (26/4/16)

GreenyZA said:


> No official changes were made to our smoking policy in the office but when we vape in the building, the SHEQ has a heart attack, screams at us and make us understand that we are going to get him fired. I vape outside with the smokers and deal with all their shitty comments about how stupid these "Twisp" devices are and how I'm going to die because I'm going to grow a second head and blah blah....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Well I am a SHEQ officer and my work is all about risk reduction. I don't see why it could be an issue, but I am heavily biased. Maybe try to get some backing from a manager that smokes? SHEQ shouldn't really be too worried if management isn't. 

Unless the other employees keep complaining.



Rob Fisher said:


> At my business I encourage smokers to convert to vaping and of the 25+ employee's we only have one smoker left and about 5 vapers... the vapers are welcome to vape at their desks provided they are not hotboxing their co-workers and the co-workers don't mind... it's a lot more productive since they converted and now don't spend unproductive time outside smoking.



Rob I have also noticed my productivity increasing after I started Vaping. If only companies can have a wellness drive to encourage vaping at the workplace. 

Maybe I need to send some of the vape positive studies to our Head Office. You never know, maybe it works.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Cave Johnson (26/4/16)

Work in a small office and vaping is 100% allowed at the moment. We vape at our desks, in staff meetings, etc. 
We only cut back and put away the sub-ohming devices when we have an external party over for meetings.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Wrathserver (26/4/16)

Cave Johnson said:


> Work in a small office and vaping is 100% allowed at the moment. We vape at our desks, in staff meetings, etc.
> We only cut back and put away the sub-ohming devices when we have an external party over for meetings.


This is excellent, now how to change the mind of the stubborn folk who "ban" it without thinking about the possible benefits.


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## Christos (26/4/16)

We had no policy until some idiot blowing clouds screwed it up for all of us.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## DaveH (26/4/16)

Christos said:


> We had no policy until some idiot blowing clouds screwed it up for all of us.


Yep isn't that always the case.
Dave

Reactions: Agree 1


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## brotiform (26/4/16)

I vape in my office but refrain from clouding the place out or go outside when my boss is having lunch.

I just stealth vape cos I feel it's the right etiquette to express.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## CosmicGopher (26/4/16)

I work in a hospital here, and most hospital systems here are going this way: to vape I have to ride an elevator down 4 floors, then I have to walk 2 blocks until I am off the hospital 'campus'. I have to remove my name badge, for if we're seen by hospital security smoking/vaping with a name badge on we are reported, as it apparently is a poor reflection on the hospital...lol. Visitors are not allowed to smoke within 250 feet of any hospital entrance, or on the campus. Signs everywhere that it is a smoke-free campus. Of course, security can't really do anything to visitors except ask politely that they extinguish their smokes, but they can make employees lives miserable. I still remember when hospitals had smoking waiting rooms. I guess now, if your relative is in surgery and you are stressed out waiting, you can chew gum, eh?
What is really disgusting is the hospital insurance for its workers. This year, when we renewed insurance online, we were asked if we used tobacco or 'nicotine delivery systems'. If we said yes, we were told we had to enroll in a new manditory 12-week smoking cessation program. And if we opted out of this program we would be charged an extra $70 dollar a month penalty charge on our insurance. So what happens if someday I am hospitalized with a lung ailment.....will they refuse payment because I admitted to smoking and refused their wonderful cessation program? Sounds likely. So of course I lied. Its none of their god damned business if I vape or not. And this is a big US national insurance company. This has already hit the media here, but nothing is changing. As well as all that, new hires are drug tested, and this includes for nicotine....and it is the policy of this and most hospitals that nicotine users are simply not hired, regardless of their credentials. I started there before this policy was enacted, fortunately. But I have no real alternative in my area as to employment and insurance.....or I and my family go without insurance.
Really, really sad to see vapers, who went the extra mile to get off cigarettes, be made to vape in back alleys practically, so they won't be seen. Not all business is like this, but hospital systems and clinics are bending over backwards to set a 'new standard'. I hope vaping in South Africa is not as difficult as its becoming here.

Reactions: Like 4 | Informative 2


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## Nailedit77 (26/4/16)

Don't Vape at my desk, but my store room (second office) is always fogged up. My manager don't mind at all, she uses my store room for her occasional stinkies... I don't like her sharing with stinkies, but I can cloud it up all day so its all good


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## Lord Vetinari (26/4/16)

Well... I work from home at the moment so the policy is pretty liberal. I still try keep it outside though I have a 12 year old daughter. When she isnt around it is cloud city by my desk. New directions and all probably more study on the cards so vaping HEAPS.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ZoemDoef (26/4/16)

At a previous company they changed the policy after allowing us to vape in the office. They allocated the same space for vapers and smokers and I asked them, since I consider myself to have quit smoking, why are you now forcing me to inhale tobacco smoke when I vape? They did not have an answer but I liked seeing them squirm for a bit.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spydro (26/4/16)

CosmicGopher said:


> I work in a hospital here, and most hospital systems here are going this way: to vape I have to ride an elevator down 4 floors, then I have to walk 2 blocks until I am off the hospital 'campus'. I have to remove my name badge, for if we're seen by hospital security smoking/vaping with a name badge on we are reported, as it apparently is a poor reflection on the hospital...lol. Visitors are not allowed to smoke within 250 feet of any hospital entrance, or on the campus. Signs everywhere that it is a smoke-free campus. Of course, security can't really do anything to visitors except ask politely that they extinguish their smokes, but they can make employees lives miserable. I still remember when hospitals had smoking waiting rooms. I guess now, if your relative is in surgery and you are stressed out waiting, you can chew gum, eh?
> What is really disgusting is the hospital insurance for its workers. This year, when we renewed insurance online, we were asked if we used tobacco or 'nicotine delivery systems'. If we said yes, we were told we had to enroll in a new manditory 12-week smoking cessation program. And if we opted out of this program we would be charged an extra $70 dollar a month penalty charge on our insurance. So what happens if someday I am hospitalized with a lung ailment.....will they refuse payment because I admitted to smoking and refused their wonderful cessation program? Sounds likely. So of course I lied. Its none of their god damned business if I vape or not. And this is a big US national insurance company. This has already hit the media here, but nothing is changing. But I have no real alternative in my area as to employment and insurance.....or I and my family go without insurance.
> Really, really sad to see vapers, who went the extra mile to get off cigarettes, be made to vape in back alleys practically, so they won't be seen. Not all business is like this, but hospital systems and clinics are bending over backwards to set a 'new standard'. I hope vaping in South Africa is not as difficult as its becoming here.



Sorry to hear and surprised for that state to take such a liberal stance. Back at the end of my working in the rat race, the 10 years all thru the 80's, my territory as a field engineer for a German Druckmaschinen AG was the 16 western states from the Dakota's to Texas, including AK and HI. So I came to western Montana quite often on business. While I did so courteously, I smoked stinkies and pipes nearly anyplace I wanted to in MT with no one ever giving me a hard time. Including inside the companies I came to see, and pretty much anywhere in the towns/cities businesses. In part because of the very friendly people there with their live and let live mindset in those days, in part maybe because the push against smoking wasn't in full swing there yet I guess.


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## GreenyZA (27/4/16)

Wrathserver said:


> Well I am a SHEQ officer and my work is all about risk reduction. I don't see why it could be an issue, but I am heavily biased. Maybe try to get some backing from a manager that smokes? SHEQ shouldn't really be too worried if management isn't.
> 
> Unless the other employees keep complaining.
> 
> ...


Just to render the picture a bit more clearly.... I work for a VERY large, military orientated business. Although our section of the business has nothing to do with anything relating to the military, we are basically owned and run by them. 

My manager as well as 6 or 7 of my co-workers quit smoking and started vaping as a result of me taking up vaping. All of them bought their kit through me( I was given money based on web site prices and I went out to our local vape shop and bought the kit they wanted or I took them to the vape shop and they picked their own kit). There is still a couple of people in the office that are keen on taking up vaping and quit that stinky habbit. 

My manager forms part of top management and most of the rest of the top "omies" are old school army type "omies" and see this " new craze" as more than an absordity as anything else.

They smoked Texan plain on the border and wresled aligators in their briefs for fun. Guys like us are the weirdos, the washouts!! Vaping to them is like smoking weed behind the ablution blocks because "they" were to "slapgat" to do PT. There is a lot of education needed and frankly I don't see them changing their minds in the near future. They are not open minded enough to even entertain the possibility of a change of heart. 

For now l vape outside and be the "circus act" of the company. At the last company performance review meeting, even the CEO made fun of us, calling us the "rook masjien brigade" and basically telling the rest of the company that "we do not support such behavior". 

I'm much more open minded than that so most of it, I dont care for much, but the fact that vaping is concidered more unacceptable than smoking, I'll never understand that!! 

I had a discussion with our COO the one afternoon about the vaping scenario and he told me that they do not concider vaping in the same light as smoking. They dont support vaping AT ALL and would rather have 10 smoking employees "wasting their time And money" on smoke breaks that two enployees vaping. 

Like I said... A lot of education will need to happen.. But then again... I dont think they will ever change their minds.... 

For now I'll remain part of the outcasts... It does piss me off though... I made the effort to become more healthy and as a reault of that, my employer treats me, and my fellow vapers, as outcasts just because they prefer to remain uninformed. 

Life is strange... Very very strange!!

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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