Half of UK workers are still exposed to smoke

More than ten million people in the UK work in places where smoking is allowed somewhere on the premises, and two million in workplaces where it is permitted everywhere.

Information obtained by campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) from the Office for National Statistics, also revealed that workers in routine and manual jobs are more likely to be exposed to other people’s smoke than those in managerial and professional occupations. Some 900,000 routine and manual workers work in places where there are no restrictions on smoking at all, compared to 400,000 managers and professionals.

“These figures show just how important the House of Commons’ historic vote to end workplace smoking really was,” said ASH director Deborah Arnott. “Voluntary progress towards no-smoking workplaces has been too slow and haphazard.”

Exposure to smoking in the workplace causes around 600 premature deaths a year – around three times the annual death toll from industrial incidents.

“The Health Bill is now in the House of Lords, where a small group of unelected peers are still working to try to reverse the overwhelming decision taken on a free vote in the House of Commons,” added Arnott. “These figures show once again why they deserve to fail.”

The full data can be viewed at www.ash.org.uk/html/workplace/html/workplacesmokingrestrictions2004.html