T.J. Samson enforces thirdhand smoke policy

T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow has a thirdhand smoke policy for all employees, including those who are under contract.
“Thirdhand smoke is smoke that is on a person’s body, on their clothing, on their hair,” said Laura Belcher, chief of planning and business development for the hospital. “Just like excessive perfumes and colognes may be difficult for people with breathing conditions to be around, now we’ve added tobacco as well.”

 

To help make the transition easier for employees, T.J. Samson has offered smoking cessations classes to help them get the resources they need. About 35 people have gone though the program, Belcher said“We gave them six to eight weeks (to let them know) that this was going into effect Jan. 1. We don’t want to infringe on anyone’s rights, but this is just important to us,” she said. “We heard a few grumblings, but people are adhering to the policy.”
While employees are not expected to wash or change clothes before entering the hospital, the employees are responsible for maintaining good body odor, Belcher said.
“They have to maintain a dress code, and that includes smoke residue. If they cannot do that during their work time or break time, their option is to keep from smoking,” she said. “If you (or a patient) smell it on that person, you’re supposed to address them.”
Action will be taken against those who fail to adhere to the policy, starting with a verbal warning and continuing through the chain of discipline, Belcher said. Employees could be fired if they do not comply.
“By no means do we want that to happen, but we want to provide a safe environment for our patients and our employees,” she said.
The policy does not apply to visitors. “There’s no way for us to enforce that,” Belcher said.
Several years ago, T.J Samson became a tobacco-free campus, not allowing people to smoke around the building. People did, however, leave the campus and used tobacco products during breaks and lunches, Belcher said. Golden Gate Blue
“As a health care provider, we see firsthand how third-hand exposure affects individuals. Exposure to those residues has a negative impact on a person’s health. It can be very irritating,” she said. “This doesn’t only affect patients, but also coworkers. When you bring coats back in the building and store them together, it can be overwhelming.”
Thirdhand smoke is dangerous, said Carol Douglas, health educator at the Barren River District Health Department. She has been reading the University of Kentucky College of Nursing’s Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy at www.kcsp.uky.edu, which has information about thirdhand smoke.
“It has cancer-causing agents and can cause respiratory issues just like smoking and secondhand smoke,” she said.”
It’s not limited to just the body, Douglas said.
“It’s any of the particles that would be on surfaces long after the smoke is gone. It can react with other chemicals to create pollution,” she said.
This means that cleaning or painting places such as rental property, hotel and motel rooms or vehicles where smoking has occurred does not get rid of the danger of thirdhand smoke, Douglas said.
“Cleaning can stir it up. Once smoking has occurred in those areas, it’s going to persist. No one is going to be able to get it out of everything, especially porous surfaces like carpeting and upholstery,” she said. “It’s basically impossible to get out all of the stuff once that occurs, but some say it can be gotten out of hard surfaces by using acidic solutions like vinegar.”