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Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

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Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Waterbaby »

Afternoon All :wave:

Interested re : your thoughts on this ? Have you needed to implement such a policy ?

http://ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"What steps should I take when implementing a scent-free policy in the workplace?

As with most workplace policies, be sure to consider the following:

Conduct an assessment or survey of the employees to determine the extent of the issue. Collect opinions and suggestions at the same time to help you develop a policy appropriate to your workplace. (A sample survey is located at the end of this document.)
Designate one key person to oversee the project and its development. If you work at a large company, it may better to create a committee with members representing all groups (employees, unions, management).
Involve the health and safety committee or worker representative(s), and get management commitment from the beginning.
Set and stick to deadlines for creating a draft policy, a review of the policy, and for implementation" (continues)

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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Messy »

My first thoughts are unprintable, but for goodness sake - what next?

So an assessment says I have to bin my Lynx Africa anti-antiperspirant and change my Head & Shoulders to a scent free medicated one. Loos like my colleagues may end up with me stinking like a drain with dandruff blowing around like a blizzard.

Personally, I would prefer a policy which bans 'natural' scents and insists on certain staff (following a RA) being told to use synthetic/cosmetic fragrances :roll:
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Waterbaby »

Hi Messy - I agree :lol: :lol:

In some places I've worked - had to spend loads of time convincing people of the power of water and soap, preferably scented !!

As medic - I consider my perfume as PPE for some of the things that waft in my vicinity ;)


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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Alexis »

For goodness sake!! So is there a visitors shower area available to rinse oneself and lenor/comforted (others are available) clothing removed upon entry?? All those nudey visitors will most certainly halt production!

They cannot be serious surely!!!!
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Messy »

On night duties, I slept for 25 years in a firefighter's communal dormitory. With nylon socks, up to 24 armpits, curry suppers and... ahem! - natural overnight emissions - good luck to any fire service trying to adopt a scent free policy :roll: :sleepy2:
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Waterbaby »

Hi Messy, Alexis and All:wave:

As I am agog at this, found the following ;)

2010 : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... /?page=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"While there are no Canadian laws regulating the wearing of fragrances in the workplace, a recent U.S. court ruling has put the issue back in the limelight. And a growing number of workplaces are voluntarily going scent-free. Should your workplace be next?

In a high-profile U.S. case last month, a federal court upheld an employee's right to a scent-free workplace.Detroit city planner Susan McBride filed a lawsuit complaining that a co-worker's perfume made it challenging for her to breathe and do her job. The city initially fought it on the grounds there was no medical diagnosis of her condition and she was still able to do her job.But the U.S. District Court sided with Ms. McBride. The city of Detroit was ordered to make three of its office buildings scent-free, and Ms. McBride was awarded $100,000 (U.S.)."

2010: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ ... settlement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"The scent of litigation success isn’t a sweet smell for at least one plaintiff who recently won a $100,000 settlement in a federal Americans with Disabilities Act discrimination case"

Ahem......

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Last edited by Waterbaby on Fri Aug 14, 2015 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Ardbeg »

Don't go out. Don't stay at home. Don't eat. Don't drink. Don't breathe. Don't do ANYTHING. *sigh* [smilie=ugly_tocktock.gif]

Oh, Canada...... [smilie=trout2.gif]
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by bernicarey »

Ummm, smellie workers...
Couple of stories for you from back in my RAF days:

In the 80's there was a single chap who worked in the same building as myself (not under my control fortunately) who stank so much that at least once a shift, day or night, his colleagues had to tell him to go back to the barrack block for a shower. Allegedly had a medical condition that caused it.

As I was a Sergeant at the time, I had to take my 6 month stint as i/c the section barrack block. This guy's room stank so much it made that section of the corridor smell. They would be given a Bull Night and Inspection about once a month to keep the place up to standard and myself and the Office i/c when it came to inspecting this individuals room, would literally hold our breath, open door, look around quick, close door, move down corridor to breath again! It was foul!

On one occasion, his window was wide open, so the atmosphere was just breathable. This meant we could actually look around his room properly, including checking on unlocked cupboards. In one we found about a dozen empty spirit bottles, and it was not a 'Collectors' collection, thus it was a possibility that the booze was a factor in his condition. All we could do was advise him that his drinking might be contributing to his BO, but we couldn't make him seek help. He hadn't displayed any other indicators of drink impairment at work and the rules on booze in barrack blocks were a bit vague at the time.

He got a posting overseas a few months later if memory serves me, so I don't know what happened to him, but I can't imagine duty free living helped him any!


In the mid 90's I worked with a guy who always stank of garlic; after about a year, it became obvious that he was using garlic to cover the alcoholism. After another year of being in and out of rehab clinic several times, and incidents like being arrested by civvie police for D&D in the local city centre, the RAF kicked him out.
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by kevlarion »

Does this mean the end for the cabbage diet and the atkins diet ??? There are certain scents from practitioners of those :)

Playing the devil's advocate here... we take things like toner dust and airborn solvent vapour seriously... why shouldn't we take the solvent vapours from dior and unilever (other scents are available) products seriously?

Personally I had an asthma problem with an air freshener that was being used in my office, but a quiet word with the cleaner got it changed to something I could tolerate. If I was an american, and my boss said "Naff Off" when I asked for help with something that was triggering asthma problems, perhaps I would consider litigation.

I think if you treat people with respect when they report something that on the face of it seems silly, then you can avoid a lot of hassle and make a positive impact in unexpected ways...
Would I consider a scent free environment?... well if someone really couldn't medically tolerate perfume in the air and no compromise could be found, and the air conditioning couldn't be adapted to solve it... then maybe I would ask for people not to wear perfumed products in the areas where that person works, or maybe I would get that person isolated from the hazard (eg in their own office or desk below a fresh air outlet).

Right devil's advocate finished, I'm going to shake photocoier cartridges for a while just to get that nice "toner" smell in the air :)
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by Brett Day SP »

I can go with a 'scent free' workplace, based on previous experiences:

The toilet air freshener turned up high because people like the scent - there were times you could see the fog of the spray!

The lad who goes running at lunchtime and rather than shower, bathed himself in deodorant in the gents and didn't have the grace to open the windows to vent it (he still stunk, just of a sweat / deodorant mix).
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by witsd »

I've known locker rooms to require LEV due to the amount of child-deodorant in the atmosphere. Whilst this seems a step too far, I can appreciate certain applications.
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Re: Canada : Scent-Free Policy for the Workplace

Post by jonsi »

When I worked in a food factory the use of strong perfumes/scents was 'discouraged' because it could seriously taint the product. This 'discouragement' also included lipstick and face powders because that too could fall onto product and contaminate it.

I cannot see how one person's 'rights' to a scent-free environment can override another's right to wear a perfume of choice unless it is on collective health grounds e.g. illnesses caused as a result of secondary smoke from cigarettes.
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