Dangers of combining smoking
with other workplace risks
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The combination of smoking with exposure to hazardous substances at the workplace presents a serious health risk, according to the 1985 Surgeon General's report on The Health Consequences of Smoking: Cancer and Chronic Lung Disease in the Workplace.
According to the 1979 Surgeon General's report on smoking and health, cigarette smoking can:
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transform existing chemicals into more harmful ones |
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increase exposure to existing toxic chemicals |
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add to the biological effects caused by certain chemicals |
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interact synergistically with existing chemicals |
An example of how this could come into play in your workplace is that the health effects of workplace exposure to asbestos for a smoker are greater than the health effects of asbestos exposure for a non-smoker. Furthermore, the risks of being exposed to asbestos and smoking are greater than the sum of the risks of separate exposures.
Reference:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Office on Smoking and Health, USDHHS, Wellness Council of America, American Cancer Society. Making your workplace smokefree: A decision maker's guide 1996.
This page was last updated on July 07, 2003. Copyright © 2003 Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, NC Department of Health and Human Services. All rights reserved. Click here for disclaimer.