NCJ Number
153990
Date Published
Unknown
Length
69 pages
Annotation
This report presents the Kansas Department of Corrections smoke-free policy and provides guidelines for developing a smoke- free workplace.
Abstract
The Kansas Department of Corrections is dedicated to providing healthful, comfortable, and productive work/living environments for employees, inmates, visitors, and contractors. Based on the 1986 report of the U.S. Surgeon General, which concluded that involuntary smoking is a cause of disease and that the mere separation of smokers and nonsmokers within the same air space does not eliminate exposure of nonsmokers to environmental tobacco smoke, the Kansas Department of Corrections established a smoke-free policy. The policy states that "smoking will be strictly prohibited within all buildings, including offices, hallways, waiting rooms, restrooms, lunch rooms, elevators, meeting rooms and all community areas." Key principles for creating smoke-free facilities are presented. One principle is that once management makes the basic decision to go smoke free, employees should be involved in planning and implementation. Also, the workplace community should be educated about the hazards of secondhand smoke and the new smoke-free policy. Time should be allowed for transition. The policy should focus on smoke, not smokers. Support programs should be established to help employees and inmates stop smoking. Finally, corrections managers should implement the smoke-free policy just as any other policy; for example, there should be no differentiation between smoking breaks and any other kind of breaks. Sample educational materials and forms are provided.