Second-hand smoke at work: The exposure, perceptions and attitudes of bar and restaurant workers to environmental tobacco smoke

Objectives: To investigate the knowledge of, and perceptions, attitudes and exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) of staff in the New Zealand hospitalit y industry. Method: Face-to-face interviews with bar staff, waiters, and bar and eating -place managers and owners in Wellington during the 1999-2000 summer. An an alysis was made of the 1999 New Zealand Electoral Roll to find the number o f those most exposed to SHS. Results: 435 interviews with full data recovery were completed at 364 locat ions; 59% of interviewees were exposed to SHS, including 77% of those at li censed premises. More than half of those exposed to workplace smoke reporte d irritation from SHS to their throat or lungs. Less than a third were awar e of the risk of strokes from SHS. Three-quarters of interviewees wanted so me sort of smoking restriction in bars. Conclusions: The majority of interviewees were at risk of premature death a nd disease because of exposure to workplace smoke, and had an incomplete kn owledge of the dangers to which they were exposed. More than 5000 similar w orkers in New Zealand appear to share this risk. Implications: This industr y needs legislation to make it smoke free.