Almost 20% Of Nonsmoking Workers Are Exposed To Secondhand Smoke On The Job, Study Finds

(CNN) — People who don’t smoke can still be at risk for heart disease, lung cancer and stroke after they’re exposed to secondhand smoke. Almost 20% of nonsmoking workers in the United States were exposed to secondhand smoke while on the job, according to a study published Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During 2013 and 2014, 1 in 4 US nonsmokers reported a secondhand smoking exposure and an estimated 41,000 adult nonsmokers’ deaths were linked to secondhand smoke. “Secondhand smoke exposure is an important public health issue … and has been recognized as one of the top occupational hazards that contributes substantially to the prevalence of occupational cancer among nonsmokers,” Dr. Sara Luckhaupt, a study author and preventive medicine physician in Cincinnati, said in an email. Luckhaupt is also a medical officer for the CDC. Just over 10% of people reported frequent secondhand exposure at work, defined as twice a week or more. But some jobs have it worse than others. In the commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair industry, 65% of people reported secondhand smoke exposure, the most of any industry measured. The construction industry had the highest number of exposed workers at 2.9 million. “The industries with the highest prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure and the highest number of exposed workers include outdoor workplaces and other settings that are unlikely to be protected...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News CNN secondhand smoke Smoking Source Type: news