Employee attitudes to involuntary smoking at the workplace

The Dublin Healthy Cities Project carried out this survey to establish employees' attitudes to involuntary smoking. A self administered questionnaire was sent to 750 randomly selected employees from the organisations involved with the Project. A response rate of 77% was achieved. 70% were non-smokers. 80% (Non-smokers 92%, smokers 50%) are bothered by involuntary smoking and 78% (non-smokers 85%, smokers 59%) were aware that it was harmful. 93% (non-smokers 99%, smokers 84%) felt that involuntary smoking should be restricted in the workplace and 99% (non-smokers 99%, smokers 97%) felt that it should be restricted in the canteens. 77% of smokers expressed a desire to quit the habit. This survey shows that employees are bothered by involuntary smoking in the workplace, they see it as being harmful to their health and they think it should be restricted.