03/03/2009
According to the data available, the number of workers exposed is approximately 7.5 million across the European Union. The impact of this situation on their health is worrying. Passive smoking involves an increased risk of lung cancer, cardiovascular mortality and respiratory diseases. It also causes many problems with reproductive health. The scientific literature associates it with sudden infant death syndrome, various health problems in children, low birth weight, etc. Certain sectors are particularly exposed, notably in the restaurant and hotel industries.

The European Commission launched a consultation of trade unions and employers' organisations on that issue. The ETUC reply supports a legislative initiative.

It is important to reaffirm the preventive approach pursued in occupational health; it is the employers’ responsibility to take the measures necessary to create and maintain a working environment that poses no risk to health and safety. Preventing the risks in this area should not jeopardize the privacy and fundamental rights of workers. For the ETUC no denial of employment or discrimination in employment relationships towards smoking workers namely in the field of additional insurance schemes related to work, should be definitely avoided.

A specific directive for the workplace will allow the application of the general principles of prevention in the framework directive to the concrete risk posed by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at the workplace. Its starting point should be the elimination of that risk by means of organisational measures banning smoking at the workplace. Specific arrangements might be made in favour of workers who do smoke, provided that they guarantee that no non-smoking workers are exposed. Complementary measures should be provided, notably for the sake of allowing monitoring of the long-term health of workers who have been exposed to this carcinogenic agent.