This is an editable policy template. Smoking and vaping laws vary significantly by jurisdiction — verify current local law before adopting this template.
Purpose
This policy establishes rules for smoking and vaping in and around the workplace, aimed at protecting employee health, complying with applicable law, and reducing fire risk from discarded smoking materials — a recognized ignition source on many worksites.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and visitors while on company premises, in company vehicles, or at company-sponsored events, regardless of role or seniority.
Definitions
“Smoking” includes the use of tobacco products of any kind. “Vaping” includes e-cigarettes and other vapor-producing devices. This policy treats both equivalently unless local law explicitly distinguishes between them.
Prohibited Locations
Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside all buildings, near flammable material storage, near oxygen or fuel sources, and within a defined distance of building entrances and air intakes, consistent with local fire and health regulations. The specific distance should be set to match local law and site conditions.
Designated Areas
Where permitted by local law, the organization may provide designated outdoor smoking areas, clearly signed and positioned away from entrances, air intakes, and combustible materials, with appropriate disposal receptacles provided.
Vehicles and Accommodation
Rules for company vehicles and any company-provided accommodation should be stated explicitly — including whether smoking is permitted at all, and under what conditions — rather than left ambiguous.
Visitors and Contractors
Visitors and contractors are expected to follow this policy while on site and should be informed of designated areas and restrictions during site induction, not left to discover the rules on their own.
Signage
No-smoking and designated-area signage should be posted in accordance with applicable law, kept visible, and replaced if damaged or obscured.
Fire Risk
Discarded smoking materials are a recognized fire-ignition source, particularly near combustible storage or vegetation. Designated areas should include metal, covered disposal receptacles, and the area should be kept clear of combustible debris.
Enforcement
Violations of this policy are addressed through the organization’s standard disciplinary procedure. Repeated violations may result in escalating consequences, up to and including termination, consistent with applicable employment law.
Support
Employees seeking help to quit smoking or vaping may be signposted to relevant public health resources or an employee-assistance program, where available.
Complaints
Employees may raise concerns about policy compliance through HR or a designated contact without fear of retaliation, and complaints should be investigated in a timely manner.
Responsibilities and Review
A designated role (commonly HR or site management) is responsible for policy administration and enforcement. This policy should be reviewed periodically and whenever local law changes materially.
Regulatory Context
Smoking and vaping restrictions are primarily governed by state and local law and by fire codes such as NFPA 1, rather than a single federal OSHA standard. Employers should also apply OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart F (Fire Protection and Prevention) where smoking materials pose an ignition risk near flammable storage.
Common Pitfalls
Policies that ban smoking outright without providing any designated area — where local law permits one — often see informal, unmonitored smoking spots appear anyway, which is worse for fire risk than a properly located, signed, and equipped designated area. A workable policy accounts for this rather than assuming a ban alone solves the problem.
Implementation Checklist
Before rolling this policy out, confirm local smoking/vaping law for every site the organization operates at, since requirements can differ meaningfully between jurisdictions even within the same country. Walk the site to identify realistic designated-area locations that meet distance-from-entrance and combustible-storage requirements, install signage and receptacles before announcing the policy, and brief supervisors so enforcement is consistent rather than applied unevenly across shifts or teams.
Communicating the Policy
New employees should be told about smoking/vaping rules during induction, not left to discover designated areas by observing coworkers. Signage should be in the language(s) the workforce reads, and supervisors should be equipped to answer questions about designated-area locations rather than referring everyone back to a written document they may not have read closely.
Handling Non-Compliance Fairly
Enforcement works best when it is consistent and proportionate — a first-time, minor violation (smoking just outside the designated boundary) warrants a reminder, not the same disciplinary response as repeated or deliberate violations in a genuinely hazardous location. Document each incident so patterns of repeated non-compliance are visible, rather than relying on memory alone when deciding how to respond.
Reviewing Effectiveness
Periodically check whether the policy is actually working — are designated areas being used, are complaints trending down, has signage stayed legible and in place. A policy that looked complete on paper at launch can quietly stop functioning if the physical infrastructure around it (bins, signage, area boundaries) is not maintained.
Where vaping devices with rechargeable batteries are permitted in designated areas, note the added fire risk from battery charging and store/charge devices away from combustible materials, consistent with manufacturer guidance.
These small infrastructure details — battery safety, receptacle placement, signage upkeep — are frequently what separates a policy that functions day to day from one that only exists on paper.
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