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Original poster

Manager Vaping in Work

62 replies

Mortimermay · 04/05/2025 22:29

My manager constantly vapes in the office I work in. He vapes all through meetings and quite often if you have to meet with him, it'll be in a small room with limited air flow which is full of vapour. He is aware its against company policy to do this inside as he doesn't do it in our main site where most employees work from.
I have nothing against people who vape, it doesn't bother me what they decide to do however I have asthma which is exacerbated by vapes. I have asked him repeatedly not to vape around me and explained why and he just ignores it or puts me in an awkward position in front of everyone by asking if it's OK. The last week was particularly bad as I had to have two extended meetings with him where the room was full of vapour before we even started and despite me asking him not to, he continued vaping anyway. I know that other colleagues find it irritating as well.
I really don't want to have to go to HR about this as we are a small team and he will know it was me which could make things difficult. On the other hand, I'm sick of asking him and sick of spending my evenings with a sore chest and wheezing due to spending hours confined in a vape filled room.
I can't understand why he thinks it's acceptable, aibu? And if I'm not, do I just start leaving the room every time he vapes after I've asked him not to or do I take the consequences and just report it to HR?

OP posts:
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SociableAtWork · 05/05/2025 23:38

HerNeighbourTotoro · 05/05/2025 12:52

Typing uninformed comments like yours should be sackable. Sadly it's not.

All depends on company's internal regulations.

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The OP made it clear it was against company policy…

Any breach of company policy can result in a contract of employment being terminated. It’s not an uninformed comment.

Original poster
Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 21:22

Oblomov25 · 05/05/2025 20:53

2 people at my current work very very occasionally vape at their desks. I was very shocked.

It's crazy isn't it. I don't understand why some people seem to think it's OK to vape inside.

OP posts:
Oblomov25 · 05/05/2025 20:53

2 people at my current work very very occasionally vape at their desks. I was very shocked.

Lost20211 · 05/05/2025 20:47

He’s an arsehole, go to HR.

Fraaances · 05/05/2025 16:32

Report him to HR.

IhadaStripeyDeckchair · 05/05/2025 16:23

You need to create a paper trail showing that his behaviour has been going on for some time.

Email him
Manager. As I have informed you on several occasions your vaping in the office when we have meetings is making my asthma worse.
I have been to my doctors and my asthma medication has been increased because of my exposure to vaping.
I have been advised to withdraw myself from situations where people are vaping, particularly if they are indoors.
Therefore, for my health reasons, I request that you do not vape in meetings where I am present.
If you do vape I will not be attending the meeting.

Put a big notice on your office door
Smoking & vape free space.

If he ignores the first email leave the meeting & immediately email him & HR with your first email attached and say you left the meeting for reasons associated with your health, which you had previously made him aware of.

You have to involve HR if he persists.
Don't be a whimp, this is your long term health he is buggering up.

Gcsunnyside23 · 05/05/2025 16:03

Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 09:07

The problem is that I have told him repeatedly and I have also left the room at times but we still end up in the same situation every time we meet. It's as though he doesn't want to hear that this is an ongoing situation. He acts as though it wasn't OK on Tuesday but I might be better on Wednesday. Its also a bit of a power trip because he will ask me pointedly in a group meeting if I have an issue with it. Its just tiring to be honest. The other issue is that sometimes I do actually need to speak with him/meet with him and don't really have the option as he's likely to disappear or be caught up with something else.

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If he asks you again I'd be inclined to make a joke and say "that vape is obviously affecting your memory asuch as my lungs, I've got asthma as you well know, so no it's not ok" I wouldn't care if it's a manager he's clearly on a power trip or doesn't care. Or just No, no is a full sentence, if he asks of it's ok just say no. To be honest I'd have a word on the side with him and tell him you're going to have to escalate it to HR or occupational health as you've had to go to the doctors again about your asthma. I'm actually shocked you're letting him get away with it

Newmeagain · 05/05/2025 15:48

Unfortunately the legislation around vaping hasn’t caught up yet in the U.K., so the rules are not the same as for cigarettes. This means that even if workplaces prohibit it, some people still think it’s ok because it’s seen as harmless. I have seen people vaping on public transport.

This is in contrast to places like Australia, where vaping is now illegal unless it’s been prescribed to help smokers give up smoking.

Paperthin · 05/05/2025 15:46

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 05/05/2025 12:04

Obviously it is completely unacceptable. When he asks you in group meetings if it's ok, and you say no does no-one step in when he carries on regardless?

This. I wouldn’t sit by and allow this if it was happening to my work colleague.
Your manager sounds like an ignorant and arrogant pig.

fashionqueen0123 · 05/05/2025 15:38

Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:13

Sadly, other people have pulled him up on it. I have one colleague in particular who comments on it regularly but he just ignores her. The difficulty is that he is actually the manager of that service so lots of people are too wary of making it an official complaint.

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I’d let her know you’re making a formal complaint and ask if she’d might like to do it as well.

fashionqueen0123 · 05/05/2025 15:36

Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 09:57

Unfortunately I have to be mostly based at the office where he vapes so it means I'm more likely to have contact with him there than in the other buildings.
I really didn't want to have to go down the HR route but I think I'm going to have to because he just isn't listening.

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He shouldn’t be vaping around anyone. I am shocked anyone would do this in a work place!

TY78910 · 05/05/2025 13:35

HerNeighbourTotoro · 05/05/2025 12:52

Typing uninformed comments like yours should be sackable. Sadly it's not.

All depends on company's internal regulations.

Show quote history

Well who’s pissed on your cornflakes this morning?

Vaping at work can be a breach of business conduct, particularly if a workplace policy prohibits it. While not illegal, vaping can be grounds for disciplinary action if it violates company rules, similar to any other form of misconduct.

Unless it is a small, 5 person business (which it clearly isn’t - HR team, occ health) there is no way that vaping would be seen as acceptable. Especially if it’s impacting someone’s health and they have ignored requests to accommodate that employee.

Go have a nap.

AcquadiP · 05/05/2025 13:14

Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:52

Thank you. No I don't think he has any clue how dangerous asthma can be. I can only assume he thinks it's just a bit of fuss and if I then have to take my inhaler it'll all be fine again.

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How on earth is he a manager?!

I have COPD so I empathise with your situation and if it were me, I would refuse to go into the meeting room or leave if he started vaping. I'm fortunate in that I work for a company where vaping is strictly not allowed in the office building.

I've just found this on this on the NHS website:

  • Reasonable Adjustments:
  • The Equality Act also requires employers and service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals, including those with asthma. This might involve providing time off for medical appointments or making the workplace more accessible, according to NHS England.

Seriously, this manager needs to wise up!

NHS England » Reasonable adjustments

The Equality Act (2010) states all organisations including health and social care, such as hospitals and GP surgeries must take steps to remove the barriers individuals face because of disability. The NHS must make it as easy for disabled people to use...

https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/reasonable-adjustments/

Ponderingwindow · 05/05/2025 12:54

Do you really think HR is going to let the company face the liability from this continuing? You are right that HR doesn’t care about protecting you, but in this case, protecting you and protecting the company are aligned.

SociableAtWork · 05/05/2025 12:54

If it’s against your company policy go to HR; it’ll be a sackable offence but they might give him an initial warning.

He’s a complete arsehole for continuing. If you prefer you could send him an email requesting he stops vaping in the office/during meetings and you’ll report to HR if he doesn’t. Then follow through with this - this is ALL on him.

HerNeighbourTotoro · 05/05/2025 12:52

TY78910 · 04/05/2025 23:03

It’s sackable

Typing uninformed comments like yours should be sackable. Sadly it's not.

All depends on company's internal regulations.

Original poster
Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:52

AcquadiP · 05/05/2025 12:37

I think you have three choices:

  1. send him an email reiterating your health issue and politely asking not to vape in the meeting room;
  2. if that fails, report him to HR, making them aware of your previous, polite request by email
  3. refuse to enter the meeting room for as long as the vaping continues on health grounds and on the grounds he's in breach of company guidelines. I cannot believe he's actually doing this. Surely, he must know how potentially dangerous asthma is?

Thank you. No I don't think he has any clue how dangerous asthma can be. I can only assume he thinks it's just a bit of fuss and if I then have to take my inhaler it'll all be fine again.

OP posts:
AcquadiP · 05/05/2025 12:37

I think you have three choices:

  1. send him an email reiterating your health issue and politely asking not to vape in the meeting room;
  2. if that fails, report him to HR, making them aware of your previous, polite request by email
  3. refuse to enter the meeting room for as long as the vaping continues on health grounds and on the grounds he's in breach of company guidelines. I cannot believe he's actually doing this. Surely, he must know how potentially dangerous asthma is?
PhilippaGeorgiou · 05/05/2025 12:24

Go to the union first, before you do anything. You make sure that your back is covered. But fwiiw, this is what I would advise:
(a) Write him a very simple, short email, that says that his constant vaping in the office is against policy and is triggering your asthma. Tell him that it is never ok to vape in the office or around you. If he continues to do so you will report it to HR as it is endangering your health.
(b) Copy that email to the union.
(c) If he even looks at his vape wrong in the office again, you go straight to HR and his manager with that email.

That gives him one chance to comply - it doesn't matter whether he "knows you reported him" - you have rights to be safe and healthy in your workplace, and he can solve this without involving his manager and HR. It makes it non-negotiable - in effect by asking you for "permission" he is getting you to collude with his actions because you aren't saying no each and every time.

ObliviousCoalmine · 05/05/2025 12:22

NineteenSeventyNine · 04/05/2025 22:49

Go straight to HR. Do not pass go, do not collect £200.

I came to say exactly this.

HiddenInCubeOfCheese · 05/05/2025 12:20

“Why are you ignoring us?”

Original poster
Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:17

Juicey1992 · 05/05/2025 12:13

I would report him to HR you've given him a load of chances and there is a very good reason why vaping is not allowed in the office. I personally find vaping even more anti social than smoking. Smokers will generally turn away from others or huddle in one area so as a non smoker it's easy to avoid. But people who vape seem to have no care for their surroundings and will just happily engulf others in these huge clouds and they seem to be puffing constantly. I hate it.

This is the thing that gets to me the most. He wouldn't smoke in the office so why is he constantly vaping? He also knows that every other staff member goes outside whether they're smoking or vaping. That's why I wonder sometimes if it's just a power trip.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:15

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 05/05/2025 12:04

Obviously it is completely unacceptable. When he asks you in group meetings if it's ok, and you say no does no-one step in when he carries on regardless?

Sometimes other people will chime in after I've said something but he usually ignores them. It feels as though most people have given up asking him not to. Or that they feel there's no point in saying anything because he's their boss and can do what he wants it seems.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mortimermay · 05/05/2025 12:13

TY78910 · 05/05/2025 11:06

I’m actually surprised nobody else has ever pulled him up on it. Is it because they do the same and don’t want to ‘lose the privilege’? Why has nobody else complained!

Sadly, other people have pulled him up on it. I have one colleague in particular who comments on it regularly but he just ignores her. The difficulty is that he is actually the manager of that service so lots of people are too wary of making it an official complaint.

OP posts:
Juicey1992 · 05/05/2025 12:13

I would report him to HR you've given him a load of chances and there is a very good reason why vaping is not allowed in the office. I personally find vaping even more anti social than smoking. Smokers will generally turn away from others or huddle in one area so as a non smoker it's easy to avoid. But people who vape seem to have no care for their surroundings and will just happily engulf others in these huge clouds and they seem to be puffing constantly. I hate it.