http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/workplaces.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_12729078 http://tobacco.org/news/286747.html All Vermont workplaces become smoke free today as a new state law goes into effect, banning the designated smoking areas that were allowed under the previous law.????Public places have been virtually smoke free since the 1987 Smoking in the Workplace law was passed, and then updated under the Clean Indoor Air act of 1993.????Those laws permitted businesses to have segregated areas indoors where smokers could light up.????The new law, which lawmakers approved this past session, makes it illegal to smoke anywhere inside a public building.????"We have known about the dangers of second-hand smoking for many years," said Sheri Lynn, tobacco control program chief at the Vermont Department of Health. "People used to think some ventilation would help but there are no levels of safe exposure. This is about protecting public health."?? Brattleboro Reformer HWEISSTISMAN@reformer.com (HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN, Reformer Staff) Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.cfah.org/hbns/archives/viewSupportDoc.cfm?supportingDocID=792 http://tobacco.org/news/286565.html ??Mining is described as the most dangerous industry.34 Sixteen Pennsylvania miners died in 15 disasters from 1995 to 2002, a rate of 1.2 deaths per10000 mine workers per year.34 The estimated rate of worker deaths per year from SHS is about 5 times the average annual death rate for Pennsylvania miners in coal mine disasters.????By the workplace standards of the US ½Q22? Occupational Safety and Health Administration ½Q20? (OSHA), which employs a 45-year average time period, casino workers’ risk from SHS-induced lung cancer and heart disease combined is 26 times the level indicating significant risk of material impairment.30????Pennsylvania’s new clean indoor air law permits smoking in 25% to 50% of casino floors. Confining smokers to a smaller area will increase the local smoker density in the smoking area and not protect nonsmoking areas from drifting or recirculated tobacco smoke. . . .????????Conclusions????Despite ventilation rates per occupant 50% higher on average than those formerly recommended by ventilation engineers for smoking-permissible casinos, the average RSP concentration measured inside 3 Pennsylvania casinos in which smoking was permitted averaged 6 times that of outdoor levels; PPAH concentrations averaged 4 times outdoor levels, exposing both workers and patrons to harmful levels of air pollution. In the only casino with a separate nonsmoking floor, considerable amounts of RSPs and PPAHs infiltrated the nonsmoking salon. Based on measured RSP levels, SHS odor and irritation thresholds were massively exceeded in smoking areas and considerably exceeded in 1 nonsmoking salon. Using default values, the Active Smoker Model predicted combined RSP observations to within 14%.????Based on cotinine-derived RSP levels, SHS in Pennsylvania casinos produces an estimated excess mortality of approximately 6 deaths per year per 10000 workers at risk, 5 times the rate at which Pennsylvania coal miners have died in mining disasters and 26 times OSHA’s significant risk level. Nonsmoking workers or patrons exposed to casino SHS at the observed level of occupancy for 8 hours would experience ‘‘unhealthy air’’ according to the US Air Quality Index and, at maximum occupancy or exposure duration, ‘‘very unhealthy’’ air. Cotinine- derived PPAHs from SHS increases workers’ 24-hour exposure to PPAHs by an estimated 6-fold over measured outdoor background levels.????Further research is needed to generalize exposures observed in this study to the casino industry as a whole. It is clear, however, that Pennsylvania casino workers and patrons are put at significant excess risk of heart disease and lung cancer from SHS through a failure to include casinos in the state’s smoke-free-workplace law. Center for the Advancement of Health Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/theticker/entries/2009/06/25/group_calls_on_texas_businesse.html http://tobacco.org/news/286464.html ??A group of business leaders and health care advocates Thursday called on Texas employers to help their workers quit smoking.????At a Capitol press conference, the Texas Coalition for Worksite Wellness launched the campaign to encourage businesses to provide programs as part of workers' health benefits to help them kick the habit.????"Encouraging employees to quit smoking is the low-hanging fruit among preventative care services and benefits you can offer to employees," said Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business.????Such programs would include counseling sessions and coverage for prescription and over-the-counter medications.?? Austin American-Statesman bgaar@statesman.com (Brian Gaar Statesman Business Blog ) Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2590602/Article/index_html http://tobacco.org/news/286309.html KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs is ignoring the rights of non-smokers when it opposed the Public Service Department's stand on no-smoking at government departments and agencies.????Prof Dr Rahmat Awang of Universiti Sains Malaysia's National Poison Centre and Malaysian Trades Union Congress adviser on indoor air quality Dr T. Jayabalan said Cuepacs must be seen to serve the rights of non-smokers as much as it wanted to protect the rights of smokers.????They said it had been proven that ventilation systems could not filter the particles and gases in tobacco smoke to safe levels. . . .??????They were responding Cuepacs' call to PSD not to impose a blanket ban on smoking in government premises but to provide smokers with designated smoking areas. It was reported in a local daily recently that the PSD would monitor the no-smoking rule at government premises. The PSD had also said government servants were prohibited from smoking in government premises.????Dr Rahmat said the notion that designated smoking areas was a responsible alternative to a smoking ban was flawed.?? NSTP e-Media Malaysia Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.omaha.com/article/20090612/NEWS01/306129939 http://tobacco.org/news/285914.html And you thought only Nebraska's new law put the fire hose to workplace smoking.????On June 1 -- the day the state's ban on smoking inside workplaces went into effect -- the Omaha Public Power District banned the use of cigarettes and chewing tobacco on the job, even outside.????In effect, none of the utility's 2,400 workers -- not even the worker high atop a power pole -- can take a puff or pinch a snuff on the clock.????Now, two of the utility's major unions have filed a lawsuit that says the ban far exceeded state law and, therefore, violated the unions' contracts with the utility.?? Omaha World Herald todd.cooper@owh.com ( TODD COOPER WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER ) Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25658554-24218,00.html http://tobacco.org/news/285910.html The Galaxy survey shows the average smoker wastes 17 days each year inhaling. . . .????Employers will look at them and wonder whether non-smokers are markedly more productive. Common sense suggests they will be healthier.????If the economic malaise continues, don't be surprised if bosses clamp down further on smoking. News Interactive Network/News Limited/News.com Australia Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-statefarm-nosmoki,0,6744719.story http://tobacco.org/news/285854.html State Farm Insurance's locations around the country will become smoke-free at the start of 2010, but not its agents' offices.????Spokesman Jeff McCollum says the Bloomington-based insurer wants to both protect workers and increase productivity.?? AP Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090615/NEWS01/306150017/Humana We won t hire smokers http://tobacco.org/news/285762.html ??Humana of Ohio will require all new employees who smoke to quit the habit.????????The insurer, which employs more than 1,200 people at its new headquarters in Walnut Hills and hundreds more at a distribution center in West Chester, said Monday it would give all new employees a questionnaire.??????If the workers use tobacco, they will have 31 days to enroll in a program called Breathe. . . .??????It is not an issue in Kentucky, which has a law making smokers a protected class.???? Cincinnati Enquirer cpeale@enquirer.com (Cliff Peale &#149) Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://omaha.com/article/20090612/NEWS01/306129939 http://tobacco.org/news/285523.html ??And you thought only Nebraska's new law put the fire hose to workplace smoking.????On June 1 -- the day the state's ban on smoking inside workplaces went into effect -- the Omaha Public Power District banned the use of cigarettes and chewing tobacco on the job, even outside.????In effect, none of the utility's 2,400 workers -- not even the worker high atop a power pole -- can take a puff or pinch a snuff on the clock.????Now, two of the utility's major unions have filed a lawsuit that says the ban far exceeded state law and, therefore, violated the unions' contracts with the utility. . . .??????The state ban outlaws smoking in indoor workplaces, with a few exceptions, but says nothing about chewing tobacco or smoking outside.????OPPD, meanwhile, makes no exceptions.????"If you're being paid by OPPD or you're on OPPD property, you cannot use tobacco products, period," said Mike Jones, an OPPD spokesman. "It's for the health and welfare of our employees."?? Omaha World Herald todd.cooper@owh.com (TODD COOPER WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER) Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/11815776.asp?scr=1 http://tobacco.org/news/285445.html Ahead of the national smoking ban due to be put in place July 19, Health Minister Recep Akdağ has announced that ministry mangers who smoke either need to quit or give up their positions of authority.????Smoking will be banned in cafes, restaurants and other enclosed public places across Turkey in just over one month’s time. In preparation for the ban’s adoption, the Health Ministry has launched various projects around the country to raise awareness about the health risks of smoking and promote strategies for quitting before the ban.?? Hurryet Turkey Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190911/Smokers-cost-businesses-2-1bn-year-fag-breaks-sickness.html http://tobacco.org/news/285250.html ??Smokers are costing businesses £2.1billion each year through sickness and time-wasting cigarette breaks, a report has claimed.????It found that 1.77 extra sick days a year are taken by each smoker at a cost of £1.1billion to firms.????And smoking breaks during the working day were found to be just as costly, amounting to almost £1billion.????The report, by the London School of Economics, described the costs as ‘staggering’ and said that firms could make major savings by helping the staff to quit smoking.????Professor Alistair Mcguire, of the LSE, said: ‘The formula reveals just how much of businesses’ bottom line is going up in smoke every year. The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday UK Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.columbustelegram.com/articles/2009/05/31/news/local/doc4a21f9ce93d5f339865377.txt http://tobacco.org/news/284895.html While bars and restaurants are obvious targets for Nebraska’s smoke-free ban that begins Monday, the East Central Health Department (ECDHD) is finding the much broader ramifications of the new law are largely misunderstood.????“What we have found as we’ve visited with a very wide variety of businesses in our service area, is that most business owners think the smoking ban only affects the bars and restaurants,” said the health department’s Environmental Health Coordinator Roberta Miksch. “The Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008 requires indoor workplaces in Nebraska to be smoke-free effective June 1.????“This means the law applies to all public places from beauty shops to industrial sites, photo shops and auto repair shops to bowling alleys,” she said.??*????Miksch said the law applies to all breakrooms, hallways, conference rooms and rest rooms.?? Columbus Telegram efreeman@columbustelegram.com (Eric Freeman) Sun, 31 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nationalpost.com/rss/story.html?id=1639112 http://tobacco.org/news/284683.html Tobacco-control advocates are hoping the workplace smoking ban in Saskatchewan, which takes effect Sunday, will reduce smoking rates in this province.????For three years running Saskatchewan has had the highest smoking rates in the country and the highest youth smoking rate, said Donna Pasiechnik, the Canadian Cancer Society Saskatchewan's tobacco control co-ordinator.????"That is a big concern to the Canadian Cancer Society, and should be a concern to everyone living in this province, because tobacco use is the No. 1 preventable cause of deaths and sickness in this country,'' Ms. Pasiechnik said.????The workplace ban is a first step towards reducing those rates and providing Saskatchewan workers protection against second-hand smoke, she added.????Sunday's launch of the workplace smoking ban coincides with World No Tobacco Day. National Post Canada Thu, 28 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.winknews.com/news/local/45366197.html http://tobacco.org/news/284197.html No smoking on city property and no more hiring smokers. These are options some say could help the city of Naples make up for some of its more than two million dollar budget shortfall.????"Just trying to look at ways to reduce to costs to the city. One of the options was to provide premium differentials to employees that do smoke, banning the hiring of new employees that do smoke, and also banning smoking from city property," Human Resources Manager Denise Perez says.????She says banning smoking from city property would cut down on smoke breaks, therefore increasing productivity. She says not hiring smokers would cut down on health care costs down the road, but some say that's not fair.?? WINK-TV Channel 5 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.newsreview.com/reno/content?oid=980732 http://tobacco.org/news/284035.html The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), an arm of the Centers for Disease Control, has asked casinos to ban smoking to protect their workers.????The action was prompted by a new study showing significant levels of a tobacco-specific carcinogenic toxin in the urine of workers in three Nevada casinos, a study prompted by the request of Nevada casino workers for health evaluations of their workplaces.????At least one of those employees lost her job after making her request.????The study, known in bureaucratic parlance as a health hazard evaluation (HHE), was conducted among 124 workers in the Bally's, Paris and Caesars Palace casinos in Las Vegas. (The three casinos are all Harrah's properties.) . . .??????Among findings:????"We found ETS components in the air. These components include nicotine, 4-vinyl pyridine, respirable dust, solanesol, benzene, toluene, p-dichloromethane, naphthalene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde."????"We found increased urinary levels of one ETS component during the work shift. This finding shows that these components were absorbed in [non-poker] casino dealers' bodies."????There were also findings favorable to the casinos' stance of supporting smoking over worker safety, but the presence of the toxins led to OSH asking the casinos to end smoking.???? Reno News & Review Thu, 14 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT