Tobacco Documents Online

Topic 2.1.7: General Posted PM by: Mark Pertschuk/Julia Carol on 16-Sep-93 at 05:08 Subject: Ventilation Standards and ASHRAE SMOKING AND VENTILATION STANDARDS August 26, 1993 The tobacco industry often suggests that adequate ventilation removes the need to eliminate smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces. However, these standards do not eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, nor do they remove the health risks associated with secondhand smoke. * Standards adopted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) acknowledge that "with respect to tobacco smoke and other contaminants, this standard does not, and cannot, ensure the avoidance of all possible adverse health effects," and therefore cannot be considered a health standard. Nevertheless, the tobacco industry continues to rely on this standard to discourage smoking restrictions. (ASHRAE Standard 62-1989, p. 1, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, Georgia.) * The ASHRAE Standard is designed to reduce the immediate odor of tobacco smoke. Under this standard, more than 20% of observers (both smokers and nonsmokers) would have to be bothered by secondhand smoke "within 15 seconds" of entering an enclosed space for that space to fail to meet the standard. Fifteen seconds is not enough time for most people to be bothered by the exposure. (ASHRAE Standard 62-1989, p. 17.) * The ASHRAE Standard indicates that acceptable ventilation must be judged by admittedly subjective observers, but acknowledges that it is not a health standard: "Users of this method are cautioned that the method is only a test for odors. Many harmful contaminants will not be detected by this test. Carbon monoxide (found in tobacco smoke] and radon are two examples of odorless contaminants." Just because you cannot smell the smoke does.not mean that.you are no longer at risk. (ASHRAE Standard 62-1989, p. 17.) * Reducing the dissatisfaction of air quality to only 20% of nonsmoking visitors requires an excess of 100 cubic feet of outdoor ventilation air per occupant (CFM/occ) -- far beyond the maximum capacity of 60 CFM/occ of typical ventilation systems at typical design occupancy. ASHRAE only requires 20 CFM/occ. Actually reducing cancer risk to federally acceptable levels would require an

impossible 5,400 CFM/occ, and would create an indoor windstorm. (National Cancer Institute and Smoking Policy Institute, "Smoking in the Workplace: Ventilation," Smoking Policy: Questions and Answers 15.) * If smoking is permitted in the workplace, it must be limited to enclosed areas with a completely separate - ventilation system. "The most direct and effective method of eliminating ETS (environmental tobacco smoke] from the workplace is to eliminate smoking in the workplace. Until that is achieved, employers can designate separate, enclosed areas for smoking, with separate ventilation. Air from this area should•be exhausted directly outside and not recirculated with the building or mixed with the general dilution ventilation for the building." ("Environmental Tobacco Smoking in the Workplace: Lung Cancer and Other Health Effects," NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 54, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, June 1991, p. 13.) ~