Harvey, Harold D and Fleming, Paul and Patterson, Michael (2001) A rapid appraisal method for reviewing the effectiveness of workplace smoking policies in large and medium sized organisations. Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, 121, (1), pp. 50-55. doi: 10.1177/146642400112100111.
Workplace smoking policies have been developed in response to growing scientific evidence about the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), increasing opposition from non-smokers, concern over escalating costs of health damage and productivity losses, and the emergence of relevant laws and codes of good practice. Much has been written on the development and implementation of workplace smoking policies, but little about their evaluation.
This paper describes a rapid appraisal method for the evaluation of workplace smoking policies. The four-stage process involves rapid, focused consultation with policy makers in the workplace, appropriate risk assessment, rapid consultation with those affected by the policy and focused feedback of results for planning and ongoing monitoring.
In the pilot site the existing health and safety committee members were effective informants for the identification of key issues in smoking policy. The risk assessment phase was incorporated into the main appraisal which involved a canvass of staff and others on ETS issues identified by the informants. In the final stage of the process the health and safety committee proved to be both responsive to identified need, and proactive in facilitating ongoing review of the smoking policy. It therefore proved possible to develop the rapid appraisal process for administration in a limited time frame, three months for the whole process, with the rapid canvass element being achieved within one week.
MM-MO Crime and law > Substance use laws > Tobacco / cigarette laws
MP-MR Policy, planning, economics, work and social services > Labour and work > Workplace / work-related substance issue > Workplace substance policy
R Research > Research and evaluation method
VA Geographic area > Europe > Northern Ireland
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