PASSIVE SMOKING EXPOSURE AND RISK FOR IRISH BAR STAFF

摘要

Ventilation failed to protect the health of bar staff. Carbon monoxide from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS-CO) measured in 14 bars in Galway, Ireland showed mean ETS-CO levels of 6.36 ppm (St. Dev. 4.36 ppm), with median levels at 6.00 ppm. Peak CO exceeded 63 p.p.m. in two premises. Passive smoking at the level of 6 ppm of ETS-CO for 30 minutes is known to induce as much dysfunction of the coronary circulation as that in smokers. Exposure to ETS-CO levels equivalent to 6 ppm for 40 years carries an estimated combined excess mortality risk from heart disease and lung cancer sufficient to cause the premature death of 1 out of 5 bar staff. Of the 78,000 workers in alcohol-licensed premises throughout Ireland in 1999, about 56,000 were employed in pubs. Assuming only half are employed full-time, this translates into an estimated 150 deaths per year in the full-time pubworkers alone.