Workplace
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) also know as secondhand smoke, causes lung cancer and has been linked to an increased risk; for heart disease in nonsmokers as well as triggering respiratory problems for those at risk. Smoke free environments are the most effective method for reducing ETS exposure and eliminating its effect on nonsmokers.
In addition, "the costs of employee smoking to the employer are significant. Direct costs to the employer include health care costs associated with smoking. Indirect costs include lost productivity, absenteeism, recruitment and retraining costs resulting from death and disability related to smoking."*
Under CT law, all restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, retail food stores, schools and workplaces employing 5 or more individuals must be smoke-free. Employers with fewer than 5 employees must create a non-smoking work area upon request from an employee. The employer can choose to make the whole establishment smoke-free.
For more information regarding smoke-free workplaces please refer to the clean indoor air section of this site.
For more information about making your workplace smoke-free, please refer to the following website: Making Your Workplace Smokefree, A Decision Maker's Guide
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/research_data/environmental/etsguide.htm
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