Vaping and the use of e-cigarettes will now be banned in all enclosed Western Australian workplaces, the WA Government has announced today.
The Work Health and Safety Regulation that addresses tobacco smoking in workplaces has been extended to include the use of e-cigarettes.
The change applies to both the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 and the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022.
“There is robust evidence to shows vapes are full of dangerous substances and may include chemicals that can cause life-threatening illnesses and cancer,” said Industrial Relations Minister, Simone McGurk.
“This change to our workplace regulations reflects this growing evidence of health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes and second-hand vapour exposure.
“The Cook Government takes the safety and health of WA workers very seriously, and this addition to the laws is a further example of our commitment to their protection.”
While the relevant regulation already required that employers prevent exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals at a workplace so far as reasonably practicable, explicit protection from the risks associated with e-cigarettes was not previously included.
The definition of e-cigarettes has also been expanded to include the “heated tobacco” products now available.
Employers should consult workers about workplace health and safety issues, including the use of e-cigarettes, using a similar management approach to that used for tobacco smoking.
This should involve a workplace policy and vaping only in designated outdoor areas, and consideration should be given to any workplace-specific risk factors such as the presence of children.
