A Good Day's Work: A Guide for Tobacco-Free Work Sites in Arizona
Document source : www.tobaccofreearizona.com
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A Good Day's Work: A Guide for Tobacco-Free Work Sites in Arizona, First Edition,
1999
Cancer Institute, Smoking in the Workplace: Ventilation, April
1990).
Many ventilation manufacturers claim to have effective ventilation
systems, yet have not passed or even submitted their product for
testing of appropriate governmental standards. Don't be fooled by
phrases like "reduces irritants", or "receives high ratings of
personnel satisfaction." Remember, ventilation systems can remove
the odor and smell of tobacco smoke and yet not adequately
eliminate the actual toxins contained in tobacco smoke.
Although a minimum standard has been set by ASHRAE for
ventilation systems, this standard is based on tobacco smoke odor
and not health standard limitations. Basically, a ventilation system
can reduce, but not eliminate exposure to tobacco smoke.
Businesses will still face liability and health issues under such a
policy option.
Even if a system was initially adequate in reducing tobacco toxins,
without regular maintenance and replacement of filters, ventilation
units can drastically loose their effectiveness. Businesses will spend
time and money to keep their units operating at peak condition.
"To be at all effective in reducing the concentration of smoke in a
space," Dr. Repace further states, "any air cleaner must process
many room air volumes per hour. This requirement rules out
desktop devices. Even large, expensive air cleaners with high
efficiencies for captured particles are capable of reducing, but not
eliminating the environmental tobacco smoke tar particles in room
air, and are not at all effective for gases, which contain most of the
irritants" (National Cancer Institute, Smoking in the Workplace:
Ventilation, April 1990).
Summary :
Even large, expensive air cleaners with high efficiencies for captured particles are capable of reducing, but not eliminating the environmental tobacco smoke tar particles in room air, and are not at all effective for gases, which contain most of the irritants" (National Cancer Institute, Smoking in the Workplace: Ventilation, April 1990).
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