Now we know the rules of vaping in public places, we need to look at whether vaping at work is allowed or not. The workplace for most people is where they spend a lot of their day, and those vaping urges will come. So today, I will take you through what to know about vaping at work.
The best thing to do is to speak to your line manager before you vape to check if they're ok with it. If the boss is against vaping and you vape in the workplace without permission, you may get fired.
Why Might Employers Allow You to Vape at Work?
Vaping is widely known to be a healthier substitute for smoking cigarettes. Some bosses may agree and even promote the use of e-cigarettes at work instead of smoking (since smoking is usually banned in the workplace due to fire hazards, second hand smoke, etc).
If you work in the vaping industry, you are most likely allowed to vape. The boss may get you to test their new e-liquid flavours and get your view on it.
Why Might Employees Forbid Vaping at Work?
Vaping gives off second hand vapour. While, unlike secondhand smoke, secondhand vapour is not proven to cause any harm, research is still needed. People are wary of the secondhand vapour, worried that it could cause harm in the long term.
An e-cigarette can also look similar to a normal cigarette. This can be an issue as people can try to smoke cigarettes pretending that they are e-cigarettes, which can cause secondhand smoke etc.
Many companies may have smoke alarms to prevent fires. When someone vapes, the vapour could reach the smoke alarm and cause it to go off, though this is only when there is high quantities of vapour.
Some people may believe smoking and vaping are basically the same thing and may argue that, if vaping is allowed, smoking cigarettes should be too.
If you work in a catering position, vaping while cooking isn't the best idea. The flavours of the e-liquid coming off the vapour can contaminate the food. Also, many restaurants already ban the customers from vaping indoors.
What Should I Do If Vaping Isn't Allowed?
If the workplace doesn't allow vaping, there are usually places to vape outside. Unfortunately, these shelters are usually mainly for smokers, but you can try to find a different place near work to stand and enjoy the vape. You most likely won't be asked to stop since you are vaping in the open air.
What Should I Do If Vaping Is Allowed?
If your employer allows you to vape indoors, there are still some rules and etiquette you should follow when vaping.
Be sure to ask the people around you if they are ok with you vaping first. Even though the boss might be ok with it, the people around you might still have some problems. If the colleagues around you are ok with you vaping and are interested in it, it can open up conversations about the subject.
Be sure never to blow vapor towards someone. This can make them annoyed and put them off vaping, which could lead to you having to vape outside.
Try to vape a more subtle flavour, since stronger flavours may be disturbing and off putting to non-vapers.
If you follow these rules, you may help to change people's perspective on vaping. If you don't follow them though, it can lead to your workplace banning vaping.
Conclusion
Now you should know about the etiquette of vaping at work. Remember there are consequences to vaping incorrectly. Always respect the people around you and their thoughts on vaping. And Happy Vaping!