Smoke-free workplaces

There are legal obligations in relation to enclosed workplaces and smoking with which compliance is critical to avoid prosecution. However, there are many more benefits to a comprehensive smoke-free policy than avoiding prosecution.

Creating a smoke-free workplace could benefit your organisation in the following ways:

• Decrease employee absenteeism
• Increase work productivity
• Increase staff morale
• Improve health of employees
• Decrease early retirement due to ill-health
• Lower annual healthcare costs
• Lower risk of fire damage, explosions and other smoking-related accidents
• Lower cleaning and maintenance costs
• Reduce risk of worker’s compensation claims from passive smoking
• Enhance corporate image
• Reinforce your organisation’s commitment to a healthy workplace
• Raise awareness of the health risks of smoking and encourage employees to cut down, quit or manage their smoking during work hours

To find out more about the legal requirements for enclosed workplaces read, Supporting smoke-free workplaces – a policy implementation guide produced by the Department of Health Western Australia (pdf 509kb).

Fresh Start workplace services

Cancer Council Western Australia’s Fresh Start program can support your employees to quit smoking by providing a range services, including:

Fresh Start Seminar

• A one-hour motivational seminar providing an overview of the Fresh Start course
• Topic areas include:
  
  • Why people smoke
  • The benefits of quitting
  • Quitting methods and products
  • Strategies to avoid smoking
  • Where to access quit smoking resources and support

Fresh Start Course

• A course for smokers who want help with quitting
• Includes eight one-hour sessions held over four weeks
• The sessions are conducted by a trained facilitator and provide smokers with the information, resources and support they need to quit smoking and stay stopped

Fresh Start Short Course

• For regional or remote workplaces
• Includes two three-hour sessions held three weeks apart, with telephone follow-up between each session
• This course is a condensed version of the Fresh Start course and is offered as an alternative in cases where time and distance does not allow for delivery of a longer course.

For more information about how to become a smoke-free workplace

• Contact the Fresh Start program team on 9388 4333 or by email FreshStart@cancerwa.asn.au.
• Choose from one of the links below to view the Fresh Start workplace resources
  • Fresh Start services for workplaces brochure (pdf 617kb)
    
  • A guide to developing a smoke-free policy booklet (pdf 912kb)
• For helpful hints on how to start developing a smoke-free policy go to the developing a smoke-free policy section of this website.

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