Best Practice Signage Guidelines

The more ways and places that you can communicate the tobacco-free campus wide policy, the easier the implementation process will be. Recommendations have been divided into two stages: permanent signage and implementation signage.

Pre-Implementation Signage
Permanent Signage
General Guidelines Concerning Signage
Recommendations to Increase Compliance

Pre-Implementation Signage

Begin communication efforts six months before the policy will actually take effect. 

• Place banners on the building.
  Place banners on the exterior of the building (click on picture to enlarge)and signs within the building announcing that the hospital will be going 100% tobacco-free campus wide and include the implementation date.
• Focus on existing smoking areas.
  Make sure to heavily cover with signage any existing smoking areas (bench, gazebo, smoking hut) both outside and inside. Click here to see Baptist Hospital smoking hut and signage.  
• Start a countdown.
  Place a sandwich board with a flip chart in a prominent place (near the front door of the hospital inside and/or outside, in front of the cafeteria, etc.).  Use it as a countdown (number of days until the hospital goes 100% tobacco-free campus wide) and begin 90-100 days prior to policy implementation.
• Place signs in major traffic areas.
  Attach signs announcing that the hospital is going 100% tobacco-free campus wide to easels and place in major traffic areas. Click here to see Scotland Memorial Hospital easel sign. After they have been in one location for a month, move them to a new location to recapture people’s attention.
• Plasma Display Panel
  Incorporate messages into a plasma display panel located at the information desk. Click here to see Baptist Hospital Plasma Display Panel.  Include announcement that hospital is going 100% tobacco-free campus wide, tips for successfully quitting, and information about the NC Quitline and other resources, etc.
• Put signage at the main entrance
  Place a major sign near the main entrance to the hospital.
• Modify pre-policy signage
  Modify or add to pre-existing “No Smoking” signs to let people know that the entire hospital campus- both inside and out, will be going tobacco-free.

 

Permanent Signage

Hospitals generally remove pre-implementation signage and install permanent signage the night before the policy will take effect.  At this time, they also remove all smoking huts, cigarette disposal bins, and other smoking details.  It is very important to have all signs in place prior to implementation.

• Pay attention to hospital boundaries.
  Make sure that there are major signs at every major interface between hospital and non-hospital property (for example, places where traffic enters the hospital campus from a main road).
• Cover each hospital entrance.
  Determine the number of entrances to the hospital and place a sign close to each entrance.
• Install freestanding signage.
  Install freestanding signage, especially along the exterior part of the hospital property and in outdoor areas where people tend to smoke. If signs are only located on physical hospital buildings, people will have a difficult time understanding that the policy applies to outdoor areas as well as indoor areas. 
• Include the parking lot.
  NC Baptist Hospital has placed signs on the drop down bar at the entrance to the parking lot. Display signs in all parking areas. Click here to see Wilkes Hospital parking lot sign.
  

General Guidelines Concerning Signage

• Signs intended to be read from a distance need to be large. We recommend a sign that is at least 8 feet by 4 feet be mounted near the most public entrance to the hospital.  In selecting color, font, and layout, aim for high contrast and use a big and bold font.  Test to make sure that people will be able to read the sign from their cars.
• Communicate a brief and simple message.  For example, “This is a tobacco-free campus” or “We are 100% tobacco-free campus wide.” 
  Note:  It is crucial to include the word “campus” in all signage to communicate to people that this is different from the no-smoking indoors policy that they have become accustomed to when in a hospital.
• Include the international “No Smoking” sign for low-literacy populations.
  

Recommendations to Increase Compliance

• Some benches where people have habitually smoked may need to be removed.  One year after implementation, the benches can be returned with ample signage.
• After you implement the policy, continue to monitor your campus.  Identify the areas where cigarette butts continue to accumulate and increase signage and coverage in these areas.

.