In the Workplace

 

Maine’s Good Work! Program

25% of people in Maine say they are exposed to some secondhand smoke at work. Maine’s Good Work! program helps employers make their workplaces 100% tobacco-free, and that help us with our mission of creating safer and more productive workplaces in the state.

Employers who participate in the Good Work! program receive support for creating and maintaining a workplace policy that takes Maine law one step further in protecting their employees from secondhand smoke.

Smoke-Free Workplaces are Safe –

and They Save Money

You know that exposure to secondhand smoke causes respiratory diseases and infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. Did you also know that workers who smoke have more accidents than nonsmokers on the job? Smoke-free policies can have a considerable effect on absenteeism and lost productivity, as well. In fact, employees who smoke are absent from work 50% more often than those who don’t smoke.

And, because smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, smoking affects insurance costs. Smoking also contributes to the risk of fire and explosion, and some fire and casualty companies cut their premiums by 50% for smoke-free companies.

Smoke-Free Work is a Maine Law

Maine’s workplace smoking law states that no smoking is allowed in areas where employees are doing work. If there is a designated smoking area, it must be enclosed and ventilated. Each employer must have a written policy to protect the employer and employees from secondhand smoke. They must also supervise the implementation of the policy, and risk a fine of up to $100 per day if they don’t comply.

Read the Maine Law regarding smoking in the workplace.

Read the Maine Department of Health and Human Services Rules Relating to Smoking in the Workplace.

Develop and Implement a Workplace Smoke-Free Policy

Creating a smoke-free workplace may be one of the best business moves you ever made. Find out more by viewing our Workplaces page.

Learn More

Surgeon General’s Report on Involuntary Exposure: The Surgeon General reports that secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke, and there is no risk-free level of exposure. Read more about the Surgeon General’s six conclusions about secondhand smoke and the supporting evidence.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fact Sheet: The CDC provides updated facts about secondhand smoke, including the health effects of exposure and the current statistics.

Tobacco-free Kids: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is working to prevent kids from starting to smoke, help smokers quit, and protect everyone from secondhand smoke by providing news, information, and ways to take action to keep kids safe and smoke-free.

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