Ventilation

Facts about ventilation and second-hand smoke

• Ventilation experts concluded that dilution vetilation would not control second-hand smoke in the hospitality industry. Smoking bans remain the only viable way to protect workers and patrons of the hospitality industry from exposure to the toxic wastes from tobacco combustion.
  
  Report released by a panel of ventilation experts assembled by the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, in June 2000. www.dhs.ca.gov/tobacco/documents/FedOHSHAets.pdf
  
  
• Using current indoor air quality standards, ventilation rates would have to be increased more than a thousand-fold in order to reduce cancer and other risks associated with second-hand smoke, to a level considered acceptable to regulatory agencies. Such a ventilation rate is impractical since it would result in a virtual windstorm indoors.
  
  Repace, J. (1994) Risk Management and Passive Smoking at Work and at Home, St. Louis University Public Law Review. 13(2): 763-785
  
  
• The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) recently issued a new stronger standard for indoor air ventilation.
  
  The new standard - ASHREAE 62-1999 - is based on a totally smoke-free environment
  
  
• Toronto's Medical Officer of Health rejected ventilation as a solution to the second-hand smoke problem.
  
  Report to the Board of Health, June 28, 1999

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