Boyfriend's company is violating indoor smoking regulations

[pink_butter2003]

i hope you all can give me some advice on this one:

my boyfriend of two years- who has been a smoker for 22 years and is trying to quit- works at this welding/steel manufacturing company that is NOT complying with indoor smoking regulations of this county. last thanksgiving day (2005), the health department of the county we both live in passed an indoor smoking ban (except in bars). ofcourse a lot of smokers throughout the county complained about it,; but in the end, most complied, except my boyfriend's company. while there is a NO SMOKING sign posted by their entrance, my boyfriend says almost everyone continues to smoke at his work. this makes it really hard for him to quit (all the temptation), and since he is paid well and has worked there for 13 years, he really does not feel like walking up to his boss and telling him that he should comply with the ban. and no one else is complaining. this situation bothers me because i think that if the owner of his company strictly complied with the ban on indoor smoking, it would make it inconvenient for my boyfriend, and other co-workers who may be trying to quit, and this could probably help them quit sooner (than if the smoking inside the company continued).

 

what should i do? write a letter to the health department? call and tell on this company? i don't want to be the one to squeal on this company and get them in trouble (there is a fine). but at the same time, i think this is wrong- violating this new ordinance, and i do think that my boyfriend and others who are trying to quit at that company would find it easier to do so if there is no smoking indoors. any suggestions?

[Art_Critic]

I think this is a dept of labor issue.. look up the dept of labor for your state and contact them and find out how to report them..

Or contact OSHA and ask them about it..It might fall under OSHA regs depending on the size of the company

[Art_Critic]

there is an OSHA reg about indoor air quality..

 

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=13369

[PuppyDogEyes]

but in the end, most complied, except my boyfriend's company. while there is a NO SMOKING sign posted by their entrance, my boyfriend says almost everyone continues to smoke at his work. this makes it really hard for him to quit (all the temptation)

 

Hi, pink_butter. Glad to see that you're around and doing well. I'm proud of you for sticking by your boyfriend through this, and you tell your boyfriend to keep trying, if he hasn't quit already. If he has, tell him to keep it!

 

Now, on to your situation....

 

Is your boyfriend's workplace a situation where the public can visit and/or come into the building on a regular basis? If so, there's an easy out right there - call the department of labor and complain as "a concerned member of the public". It will stay anonymous that way, and the company will be forced to comply with the ban. They are in violation of countywide health rules, and maybe state rules as well (I'm not clear on West Virginian law, but I can look it up for you if you want - I'm not far from you here in Maryland and I know our laws are strict about this).

 

If it's not a place that's accessible much to the public, I would still call the labor department, but ask them if your complaint can be made anonymous. Explaining the situation might be a good idea, and I don't see any reason why they'd "rat" on you.

 

Let me know what happens. And keep me posted about your situation, okay? Mighty proud of you both.

 

-pde.

[Art_Critic]

This is how to file a complaint under the whistleblower act

 

http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/index.html

[pink_butter2003]

Thanks, PDE, and everyone else, for all your advice. i may not have to call the local health department on this company after all; my boyfriend is applying at another company -better pay and benefits, and closer to home- and there's a big chance he will get this new job. he has been working at his present company for 12 years straight now, and is dissatisfied about a lot of things. hopefully, he will get hired by this other firm. and HOPEFULLY, this other company is complying with the indoor smoking ban. if not, i might have to tell on them:)

PDE, thanks for your encouraging words. i'm sticking by him through this quitting process coz i love him; i think that's what you do when you love someone. you don't just give up on them. and also, i see progress. he REALLY is cutting down- less than a pack a day now. hopefully, it won't be long. oh yeah, we're planning to join a poker run on saturday- it's actually a fundraiser for the local american cancer society chapter:) i told him about it and he's all excited to take part in this run- we will ride his goldwing all over the place with a bunch of other motorcyclists. hopefully, it won't rain. well, thanks again and wish us luck.

 

pink