Forum: Protect people from colleagues vaping at the workplace
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Stricter laws to tackle vaporisers containing substances such as etomidate sound good on paper, but they are not dealing with the whole issue ( Swift action needed to stop vaping’s slide from health risk to drug epidemic
People are vaping at work, and nobody seems to care about the other employees breathing in this toxic mess.
I’ve seen office workers vaping during their breaks in stairwells and toilets. Their colleagues have no idea that they could be exposed to dangerous drugs. This isn’t just about the person vaping; it’s about everyone else potentially getting a lungful of someone else’s drug habit.
Employers have a legal duty to keep workplaces safe, but most don’t know what to do when they catch someone using drug-laced vapes. Even if they were to fire him, it would be closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. The damage was already done to other staff.
We need proper public education campaigns. Employers need to know their legal responsibilities and how to spot the warning signs. Employees need to understand what these substances are and why they are dangerous. Right now, many people think vaping is harmless because it’s not cigarette smoking. If workplaces become places where you couldn’t get away with vaping, fewer people would try it.
Stricter laws without enforcement is just wishful thinking. Until Singapore makes employers accountable for what happens on their premises and educates people about the risks, it is fighting a losing battle.
Gilbert Goh Zhi Yang
