Secondhand tobacco smoke contributes to heart disease, lung cancer and stroke. In 2013–2014, one in four U.S. nonsmokers was exposed to it, and an estimated 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults were linked to it; workplace exposure is recognized as a leading occupational contributor to cancer among nonsmokers. Smoke-free laws have cut exposure — from 2000 to 2015, the number of states banning smoking indoors at worksites, restaurants and bars went from none to 27 — but not everywhere.
CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) used the 2015 National Health Interview Survey to ask employed nonsmokers how often, in the past year, they had been exposed to other people's tobacco smoke at work.
The overall picture
- 19.9% of nonsmoking workers reported any exposure at work.
- 10.1% reported frequent exposure — twice a week or more.
State laws make a difference
States were grouped by how many of three key venues — private worksites, restaurants and bars — their laws made 100% smoke-free.
| State law | Nonsmoking workers frequently exposed |
|---|---|
| Smoke-free in all three venues (comprehensive) | 8.6% |
| Smoke-free in one venue | 12.2% |
| No law, or a partial one (e.g., designated smoking areas) | 11.0% |
Workers in states with comprehensive laws were significantly less likely to be frequently exposed. Still, 8.6% were — suggesting some workplaces fall outside most smoke-free laws.
Workplace secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmoking workers, by state smoke-free law, 2015. Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Industries with the most exposure
Compared with the information industry (20.4% any exposure), these had significantly higher rates:
| Industry | Any exposure | Frequent exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial and industrial machinery repair and maintenance | 65.1% | 38.4% |
| Other transportation (air, rail, pipeline, sightseeing) | 55.8% | 44.5% |
| Forestry and logging | 52.9% | |
| Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing | 48.7% | |
| Museums, historical sites and similar institutions | 47.6% | |
| Automotive repair and maintenance | 47.3% | 29.6% |
| Construction | 41.9% | 22.3% |
| Truck transportation | 41.4% | 29.1% |
| Accommodation | 36.6% | 28.2% |
Construction had the most exposed workers of any industry — about 2.9 million. Many of these settings are outdoors or otherwise unlikely to be covered by smoke-free laws. Smoking is also common in some of these industries: in 2014–2016, 34.3% of construction, 30.4% of mining and 30.2% of transportation workers used some form of tobacco, which may expose their nonsmoking coworkers.
Limitations
- Exposure was self-reported.
- Some people work in a different state from where they live, or in several.
- Small samples made some estimates unreliable and prevented combining state and industry.
- Only statewide laws were counted; local laws may protect workers the analysis classed as unprotected.
- How industries are spread across states may have confounded results.
What employers can do
NIOSH encourages employers — especially in industries with high exposure — to adopt their own smoke-free workplace policies alongside state and local laws. A recent study found that indoor workers at 100% smoke-free worksites were also significantly less likely to smoke.
Sources
Based on Su C, Syamlal G, Tamers S, Li J, Luckhaupt SE, "Workplace Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure Among U.S. Nonsmoking Workers, 2015," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68(27), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Original report.
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