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Secondhand
Smoke in the Workplace
Benefits of a Smoke-Free Workplace
| How to Get Your Workplace to be Smoke-Free
| More Information |
Organizations
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 promises job safety and
health protection for workers by providing safe and healthful working
conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency now states that exposure to
secondhand smoke greatly increases the chances of developing lung cancer and
other serious respiratory problems.
In general, ventilation or filtration of air in the
workplace to remove secondhand smoke is futile. Its like trying to filter a lake to
control water pollution. The only viable approach to protect nonsmokers is source control:
making the entire building smoke-free or restricting smoking to a separately ventilated
area that nonsmokers never have to enter.
The greatest benefit is, of course, the removal of all
the health risks associated with secondhand tobacco smoke. Workers will also experience
the immediate benefit of a cleaner and safer workplace.
The business itself will realize several benefits from a
smoke-free policy:
- The company rduces it liability from possible lawsuits from
nonsmoking employees affected by secondhand smoke.
- It is estimated that every smoker costs his or her company, on
average, $1,300 a year.
- The companys life, health, and fire insurance premiums may
be lower if smoking is not allowed on the premises.
- The company will realize other cost savings because computer
equipment, furniture, carpets, and other furnishings last longer and need less maintenance
in a smoke-free environment.
- Most companies document an improvement in employee morale after
establishing a nonsmoking policy. A recent survey found that only 5% of Americans oppose
any smoking restrictions in the workplace.
- A well-planned smoking policy sends the message that the company
is concerned about the health and well-being of its employees.
- Most smokers want to quit, and workplace restrictions can provide
another reason to stop.
- Once a smokefree policy is implemented, it almost always becomes
self enforcing. Because both management and employees usually support such policies,
compliance is high. Thus, a smokefree policy can decrease the time and energy management
has to spend on the tobacco issue.
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- Speak with, or write a memo to, the person in charge of making
company policies. Be sure to include the facts about the health hazards of secondhand
smoke. Position yourself as someone who is not bringing a complaint or a problem, but a
solution. Then help provide the right solution for your work environment.
- If you have co-workers who smoke, be sympathetic and
understanding, and support their efforts to quit. Let them know that tobacco smoke affects
everyone, not just them. Work with them to design a smoke-free plan that everyone can live
with.
- Also, be sure your companys benefits administrator looks
into insurance plans that offer premium breaks for smoke-free workplaces.
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Making Your Workplace
Smokefree: A Decision Maker's Guide
This 50-page guide was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to help employers a smokefree policy in the workplace.
Taking Action Against Secondhand
Smoke
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Many national and local health organizations provide information about the health hazards
of secondhand smoke and expert help in establishing smoke-free workplace policies. Below
is a selected list.
- Action on Smoking and
Health (ASH)
Produces materials on a variety of smoking and health topics for the public with emphasis
on legal action to protect nonsmokers' health.
Action on Smoking and Health
2013 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 659-4310
(202) 833-3921 (fax)
http://ash.org/ash/ (Internet)
- Americans for
Nonsmokers' Rights (ANR)
Provides information to organizations and individuals to assist in passing ordinances,
implementing workplace regulations, and developing smoking policies in the workplace.Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights
Suite J
2530 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 841-3032
http://www.no-smoke.org/ (Internet)
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American Lung
Association (ALA)
Conducts programs addressing smoking cessation, prevention, and the protection of
nonsmokers' health and provides a variety of educational materials for the public and
health professionals. Refer to your phone book for the ALA chapter in your area or contact
the national office below for further information.
American Lung Association
1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019-4274
(212) 315-8700
1-800-LUNG-USA
http://www.lungusa.org (Internet)
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Group Against Smokers' Pollution (GASP)
Provides educational and information and referral services concerning the health hazards
of secondhand smoke and the establishment of nonsmoking laws and policies.
Group Against Smokers' Pollution
P.O. Box 632
College Park, MD 20741-0632
(301) 459-4791
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Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred.
CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at
non-Federal
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