Failure to Enforce Smoking Safety Policies in Designated Area
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to formulate, adopt, and enforce adequate policies regarding smoking, smoking areas, and smoking safety, specifically in the secured unit smoking area. During an observation, a fire can in the designated smoking area was found to contain not only cigarette butts but also a plastic bottle and an empty cigarette package, and there was no ashtray present. Staff interviews revealed that housekeeping was responsible for cleaning the fire can daily, and staff supervising smokers were expected to ensure that only cigarette butts were placed in the fire can. However, both housekeeping and supervisory staff acknowledged that trash in the fire can was a fire hazard and that the area should be regularly inspected for fire hazards before and after smoke breaks. A review of the facility's smoking policy indicated that smoking by residents was allowed only with specific safety measures, including the use of noncombustible ashtrays and metal containers with self-closing covers for ash disposal. Despite this policy, the observed practice did not align with these requirements, as there was no ashtray in the area and inappropriate items were found in the fire can. This failure to follow established policy and maintain a safe smoking environment constituted a deficiency in the facility's safety practices.