Smoking policies in the workplace in the western Cape.
A postal survey of workplace smoking restrictions among the member organisations of the Cape Chamber of Industries was carried out in 1989. The response rate was 57.1%. Of the 572 respondent organisations, 66.1% had some smoking restrictions. Large workplaces were more likely to restrict smoking than small workplaces: 42.0% of those with fewer than 10 employees had restrictions, increasing to 90.9% of those with more than 500 employees. Organisations producing manufactured goods (other than engineering) were more likely to have restrictions than non-manufacturing concerns. Smoking was commonly restricted on the factory floor (61.3%) and in warehouses (55.8%), but only 7.4% prohibited smoking in shared offices. The reasons for smoking restrictions stated most frequently were the fire hazard (85.3%) and legislation (66.0%). Only 29.1% stated that health care concerns were an important reason for restrictions, while a further 16.3% stated that health was a minor reason for restrictions. Of the respondents, 48.4% expressed a need for guidance in improving their smoking policies. These results indicate that there is considerable potential for intervention to decrease both active and passive smoking in local workplace settings.
Metcalf
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Centre for Epidemiological Research, South African Medical Research Council, Parowvallei.
Yach
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D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011050:Policy Making; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013019:South Africa; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution