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Protecting workers from secondhand smoke in North Carolina
Marcus Plescia1, Sally Herndon Malek, Donald R Shopland
1Chronic Disease and Injury, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, USA. marcus.plescia@ncmail.net
North Carolina Medical Journal
|September 1, 2005
Summary
Smoke-free workplace policies in North Carolina have doubled since 1992 but disparities persist. While compliance is high, state law limits progress in protecting workers from secondhand smoke.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health Policy
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Job-related secondhand smoke exposure is a preventable occupational hazard for non-smoking workers.
- This study investigates trends in smoke-free workplace policies and worker compliance in North Carolina.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine trends in smoke-free workplace policies in North Carolina from 1992 to 2002.
- To assess worker compliance with these policies.
- To identify disparities in smoke-free workplace policy adoption and worker exposure.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Current Population Survey data from 1992-2002.
- Comparison of North Carolina worker trends with national data.
- Stratification of trends by worker demographics (age, race, gender) and worker type.
Main Results:
- North Carolina ranked 35th nationally in smoke-free workplace policies; the proportion of workers covered doubled between 1992 and 2002.
- Females (72.0%) were more likely than males (61.2%) to report smoke-free environments.
- Blue-collar and service workers, particularly males, had lower rates of smoke-free worksites compared to white-collar workers. Compliance was high, with only 3.2% reporting violations.
Conclusions:
- Despite progress, significant disparities in smoke-free workplace policies exist in North Carolina.
- Smoke-free policies effectively reduce secondhand smoke exposure and related diseases without negatively impacting business revenue.
- A preemptive state law limits opportunities to further protect North Carolina workers from secondhand smoke.