|
What is That Smell in the Workplace?
2006-04-01
| Scent-Free Policies | When I first heard of organizations contemplating banning the use of perfumes, colognes and after shaves in the workplace, I recalled having a client who was allergic to my after shave. It caused her to cough and experience shortness of breath and it was obvious she was distressed. On those occasions when I was to meet with her I had to remember not to use aftershave that day, which was not a terrible inconvenience on my part.
| | | | Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS) | According to the CCOHS indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outside air. When we spend 80 to 90 percent of our time indoors, especially in the winter months, one can start to appreciate the gravity of the issue.
Regardless if it is fabric- softener or expensive perfume they have the potential to trigger a number of symptoms such as: headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, malaise, insomnia, respiratory problems, anxiety and others.
An increasing number of employers across Canada are starting to address the issue by implementing scent-free policies, for example, The Kingston General Hospital introduced a hospital wide ban on fragrances prompted by employee complaints and the fact that one employee ended up in the hospital's emergency ward due to a negative reaction to scented products.
Like so many other issues there are always proponents and opponents. Some proponents are obviously looking for a complete ban, such as The Kingston General Hospital did, while those opposing the implementation of scent-free policies claim there is no scientific evidence that second hand exposure to scents can affect a person's health.
| | | | Some Thoughts on How to Address the Issue | So what are employers to do with this delicate issue? Here are some thoughts.
1. In isolated instances simply ask the individual to wear less of the offending scent.
2. Investigate to determine if any employees have complained about this issue, either formally or informally, and review the outcome of that complaint, i.e., was the matter resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
3. Has anyone lost time due to the suspected cause of being exposed to - fragrances and scents - and was it a one time occurrence or was it ongoing.
4. In those instances where a complaint was lodged and/or lost time occurred identify the exact source of the problem, which could lead to a review of air quality generally and a reduction of all emissions from building materials, cleaning products and other sources of fragrances.
5. Assess the impact of all of this on workplace harmony, productivity, costs, etc.
| | | As a guideline for what might constitute too much of a good thing, CCOHS suggests that no scent should be detectable at more than an arm's length from the individual.
A parallel here is the banning and extreme caution displayed these days by all commercial establishments with respect to the presence of nuts in anything we eat or come in contact with because for some people it could be fatal.
If anyone would like to receive a complimentary copy of previous columns or has ideas for future articles or human resource issues you would like to see covered in this column please contact me at the address below. | | |
Contact:
 | Paul R. Hawn, President, Hawn & Associates Inc. | | Suite 507, 421 Bay Street, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 1X3 | | info@Hawn.ca | | http://www.Hawn.ca |
[ Back ]
|
