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Smoking policy

11K views 118 replies 22 participants last post by  E-Town 
#1 ·
Interested to see what you guys have in place for a “no smoking policy.”
I personally can’t stand the smell and when allowing it the past, have found cigarette butts on lawns, in trucks, etc… Policy here is, not in the trucks/ trailers, not on properties, nor do I want to smell it on properties or in trucks/trailers, if you want to do it on your lunch break, go for it, just don’t let me smell it.
Same goes for those stupid vape things with their disgusting fruity tooty smells.
 
#5 ·
I tell them they can smoke in my vehicles as long as I can't smell it when I get in. I tried the no smoking thing and gave up.

However, no smoking is allowed on mowers, etc. We have several customers that don't allow it on their property.

I hate the smell. I hate the mess. I hate the wasted time for smoke breaks. But it's hard enough to find employees that are alive.
 
#6 ·
I tell them they can smoke in my vehicles as long as I can't smell it when I get in. I tried the no smoking thing and gave up.

However, no smoking is allowed on mowers, etc. We have several customers that don't allow it on their property.

I hate the smell. I hate the mess. I hate the wasted time for smoke breaks. But it's hard enough to find employees that are alive.
I gave up on trying to restrict it. It sucks, but my top 3 guys smoke about 3 packs a day. There's a few properties we can't smoke on, but they know damn well they better not be tossing their butts around…drives me nuts but one of the things I've caved on…if they didn't smoke while working, they'd be leaning against the truck 10 minutes every hour…maybe I should start advertising that we are a smoker friendly workplace!!
 
#8 ·
Your truck, your policy.
If its a truck you don't drive, maybe let them as long as they keep it clean. I only say this because if they're smoking on the way to a property, they won't be smoking there, or taking a break to smoke.
I also think its unprofessional to be smoking on a client's property. We're usually at unoccupied properties, I let people smoke outside. It whizzes me off when people throw their buts on the ground, anywhere. On many jobs i put a coffee can, or something for buts.
 
#14 ·
Had a new roof out on a few years ago and the company had a clean up crew pick things up after the roofers left. The owner would walk the property and make sure everything was picked up. He also told us if we found anything that was missed to let him know.
 
#16 ·
Sounds like an owner that takes pride in his work/reputation and respects his customers.

All in all, I find smoking a disgusting habit and too many smokers disgusting people. Really aggravates me when I see butts tossed out car windows, esp when we're in a drought situation; and when I'm on my motorcycle.

When my company had a smoking area, I'd see the same people go out every one to two hours for a smoke break. Now they have to leave the property. Well, now most of them work from home.

Smokers also have to pay extra for health insurance now, unless they say they are trying to quit.
 
#12 ·
We are pretty much province wide with no smoking in places of business, which includes outdoor patios and vehicles.

I smoked when I was younger, about a pack a day. I was the last of my friends to give it up, its been 20+ years but I still dream that I smoke.
Its like any addiction, you dont beat it, you replace it.... think I replaced it with work
 
#13 ·
Interested to see what you guys have in place for a "no smoking policy."
I personally can't stand the smell and when allowing it the past, have found cigarette butts on lawns, in trucks, etc… Policy here is, not in the trucks/ trailers, not on properties, nor do I want to smell it on properties or in trucks/trailers, if you want to do it on your lunch break, go for it, just don't let me smell it.
Same goes for those stupid vape things with their disgusting fruity tooty smells.
Running crews and having them follow what you described is a tough one and doesn't seem to be working. Maintaining the company's image / brand is important butt you may want to consider rethinking your policy. @EWSplow brings up a good suggestion and allow them to smoke while going to the next site with some reasonable rules.
* only smoke with windows open
* no butts get tossed oot the window
* butts go in a used water or Gatorade bottle with the lid screwed on and they toss the bottle in the trash at the end of the day.
* put air fresheners like the Fabreeze type
*all the above for smoking in trailers.
I have the same thoughts aboot smokers and get what you're saying. If you limit them to smoking at lunch or a break they'll have to be oof site and get less done during the day.
We went no smoking in the building aboot 30yrs ago, smokers were walking oot to smoke when they felt the need and leaving butts all over the place. Put butt containers at the doors and in the patio and had mixed results. We can track when employees enter the building with their badges and those that were in/out a couple times in the morning and afternoon were talked to aboot it. We went from a 15min break in the morning to "2" 10mIn breaks one in the morning and other in the afternoon and the sneaking oot was addressed. 5 yrs ago we went to a non smoking property and smokers have to be oof of company property and there's a designated place to smoke in the back of the property which has a butt container. First shift employees abide to the policy pretty good, second and third shifts are still a problem and butts are in the parking lot along with empty liquor bottle and beer cans tossed in the bushes.
I had a few guys that were smokers before we went smokeless on company property and when we'd have meetings or one on one talks I'd have them ootside so the could smoke. I did that as a way to let them know if they follow the policy I can work with them to have a extra smoke when the stress levels were running high.
I haven't had a smoker work for me for aboot 6yrs but have a couple guys that chew and they're not slobs and discrete aboot it.
 
#22 ·
while I don’t like the way cigs stink things up, I don’t let them bother me that much….especially if we’re talking about decent workers…..but there’s absolutely no smoking in the trucks/equipment, or office building. I let them smoke in our main shop, and of course on jobs. For the most part, employees have always been decent about disposing of butts properly, but I remind them regularly. What bothers me the most, is one of the guys is a chain smoker, along with his wife, and he will leave a truck smelling like cigs on occasion….without even lighting one up :puke::mad:
 
#24 ·
And Speedos?
 
#26 ·
No Smoking policy from our employee handbook:

  • The following SMOKING policy is in effect at Lakeside Landscape: Smoking in the shop is not permitted. Smoking in the truck is not permissible by Ontario law (commercial vehicle). Smoking on the work site is not permitted. There is to be no smoking when children are present. Please be courteous and conscientious to not smoke in the presence of clients, and leave work areas & vehicles free of smoking debris. Smoking is to be relegated to designated smoking areas only.
 
#39 ·
They smoked sunflower seeds on break?
 
#51 ·
Like it or not, DOT does not allow someone a med card if they have it in their system.

I'm not even going to ask my insurance agent about it.
 
#64 ·
Like it or not, DOT does not allow someone a med card if they have it in their system.

I'm not even going to ask my insurance agent about it.
Metabolized THC is not proof of intoxication
Period, You can challenge it and you can bet the farm on it.
i have expert testimony from someone in the field on this very subject. I have his deposition and his testimony in court.

Any state that is going to do a blood test on you to see how much metabolize Thc Is in your system cannot prove intoxication and a expert will eat them up and the law will not stand.

All that will show is that sometime before the test you consumed THC and it could've been 30 days earlier
 
#57 ·
This was probably 10 yrs ago now… Hired a new guy in the spring, he came in and interviewed and was recently let out of prison and really pleaded with me that he needed this job and so on and so forth. Don’t remember what the prison time was for but it wasn’t drug related. At least that’s not what he wrote on the application. I always tried to give people a second chance within reason. Anyway, he’s one of these guys that’s full of s**t. Lots of stories that most you’re just not sure really happened or not. Not a landscaper for sure, and not working out real well. It’s fine, happened every spring with 50% of the new hires, as you’re picking from bottom of the labor market. So one morning he comes in and tells me he has a Dr.’s appointment at noon. I’m like ok…he asks if he can just take one of the trucks to the Dr. because it’s close to where we had been working the past few days(big car dealership we worked at for a few weeks every spring). I reluctantly said fine because it’s gonna screw me up if he drives his own car that morning. So when he comes back from the Dr. (after like 90 min!!)he parks the truck in a bizarre spot almost wedged between new cars. I’m like WTF are you doing?? He gets out of the truck and is dazed and slow responding and slow talking. Turns out he drove my company truck to the Methadone Clinic! Well that was it for me…just too much all in one day. I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with that kind of stuff anymore.
 
#58 ·
This was probably 10 yrs ago now… Hired a new guy in the spring, he came in and interviewed and was recently let out of prison and really pleaded with me that he needed this job and so on and so forth. Don't remember what the prison time was for but it wasn't drug related. At least that's not what he wrote on the application. I always tried to give people a second chance within reason. Anyway, he's one of these guys that's full of s**t. Lots of stories that most you're just not sure really happened or not. Not a landscaper for sure, and not working out real well. It's fine, happened every spring with 50% of the new hires, as you're picking from bottom of the labor market. So one morning he comes in and tells me he has a Dr.'s appointment at noon. I'm like ok…he asks if he can just take one of the trucks to the Dr. because it's close to where we had been working the past few days(big car dealership we worked at for a few weeks every spring). I reluctantly said fine because it's gonna screw me up if he drives his own car that morning. So when he comes back from the Dr. (after like 90 min!!)he parks the truck in a bizarre spot almost wedged between new cars. I'm like WTF are you doing?? He gets out of the truck and is dazed and slow responding and slow talking. Turns out he drove my company truck to the Methadone Clinic! Well that was it for me…just too much all in one day. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that kind of stuff anymore.
At least he didn't have scoliosis...
 
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