MHE510, Occupational Health and Safety, Mod 5 SLP - Essay Example

MHE510 Occupational Health and Safety Mod 5 SLP Exposure to Second Hand Smoke Second Hand Smoke The dangers created by second hand smoke are well documented at this time. There is little room, anymore, to guess that maybe it is detrimental. This places the employee that does not smoke as well as the employer in jeopardy because of the remaining habit of those that are smoking. There are many carcinogenics in tobacco smoke but as recently discussed Benzene is one of those. Benzene builds up slowly over time and is deadly (Zellers, Thomas & Ashe, 2007).

This paper will discuss the best path for an employer to take as far as smoking on campus is concerned. In addition, nonsmokers that are exposed to second hand smoke increase their risk of heart disease by 25% and their risk of lung cancer by 20% (Zellers, et. a. , 2007). There have been studies indicating the difference in air quality and the side effects of second hand smoke. Air filtering does not work so to have them smoke in a separate room is not helpful as smoking in a part of the restaurant with smokers on the other side of a wall does not work.

There are, indeed, risks for the employee but there are also risks for the employer who does not assure a non-smoking campus. According to Zellers (2007) they are the following:Employees are now protected and can claim workmans compensation for injury from second hand smoke at work. The premiums may be increased.A disability claim could be filed because the employer failed to accommodate, especially if the employee has a disease such as asthma.The employee can claim that by common law the employer did not provide a safe workplace which is his duty.

All of these claims are serious and can lead to long term workmans compensation damages. Allowing smoking and protecting non-smokers is a very expensive policy. The CDC tell us that secondhand smoke has 250 toxic chemicals including 50 that cause cancer. Conventional air cleaning systems do not filter the gases in second hand smoke and current heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems do not stop the exposure and negative pressure smoking rooms do not work either (cdc.gov) The only policy that will work for a work situation is to establish a smoke free workplace.

This disallows any smoking on campus. Some states have begun to require that all public places be smoke free. This is a difficult and often unpopular policy and there may be some costs attached but the cost of a suit from a very ill employee because of lung cancer from secondhand smoke could be devastating financially. For those reasons the recommendation must be a smoke free policy. CDC provides full kits to allow companies to become smoke free. They are available at no charge and would help to set this new policy up in such a way as to be successful.

There will also need to be a steering committee to put the process together and provide everything needed. A kick-off date will need to be chosen and advertising will need to be done ahead of time so that visitor are aware before they arrive on the doorstep. Then administration must support it. In conclusion, second hand smoke is a killer. It is often more detrimental to the non-smoker than smoking is to the smoker (cdc.org). If allowed to happen in the workplace, this exposure can cause severe injury and illness leading to large compensation cases.

The recommendation of a non-smoking campus is the only one that will protect the employer and the employee.ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhandZellers, L., Thomas, M. & Ashe, M. (2007). Legal risks to employers who allow smoking in the workplace. American Journal of Public Health 97(8). 1376.