Worksite smoking control activities: prevalence and related worksite characteristics from the COMMIT Study, 1990

There is a pressing need for current information on worksite smoking policies and stop-smoking activities. To address these needs and identify worksite characteristics associated with such activities, a computer-assisted telephone interview was administered to 793 worksites having at least 50 employees.

Within each of the 11 COMMIT intervention communities, attempts were made to survey 30 worksites within each of three size strata: 50-99 employees, 100-249 employees, and 250+ employees. Response to the survey was good, with a screening rate of 95% and a response rate of 90%.

Overall, 69% of responding worksites reported having written smoking policies, but only 15% banned all indoor smoking. Smaller worksites and manufacturing and wholesale/retail companies were less likely than other organizations to be smoke-free or have representatives attend smoking policy workshops. Thirty-five percent of worksites reported offering smoking cessation resources or assistance for employees, but only 20% offered both cessation resources and restrictive or smoke-free policies. Smaller worksites as well as wholesale/retail sales and manufacturing worksites were less likely to offer cessation resources or to participate in community wide stop-smoking events.

Although the level of worksite smoking control activities was higher than that reported in earlier surveys, there is still a substantial need to increase the level of such activities, especially at smaller worksites and in manufacturing and sales organizations.