Media release: March 9, 2005
No
staff should work in smoky areas
Bar
workers warn against “fudge” of smokefree deadlines
Health
and trade union groups have warned state and territory governments against
allowing smokefree licensed venue deadlines to be avoided by the continued
operation of mostly-enclosed smoky areas.
The
SmokeFree Australia coalition of health and trade union groups* - including bar
workers, musicians and entertainers – says no-one should be expected to work
in any area where smoking is permitted, whether enclosed or not.
Says
coalition spokesperson Tim Ferrari of the LHMU hospitality union:
”We’re concerned that tobacco-friendly interests have been lobbying some
state/territory governments to allow some proprietors to avoid the spirit of the
bans by continuing to allow smoking in staffed areas that are up to 75%
enclosed.
“Such
rooms would present a major health risk to anyone going into them,” says Tim
Ferrari, “and especially to barworkers or entertainers with lengthy or
repeated presence in these smoky spaces – since research shows the health harm
from secondhand smoke is serious and can flow from relatively low levels of
exposure,” he says.
Recent
research has linked secondhand exposure more strongly with COPD and stroke
deaths, atherosclerosis, cervical and breast cancer; there’s also new evidence
that crowded outdoor areas can lead to significant exposure. #
“The
paramount consideration of smokefree venue laws,” says Terry Noone of the
Musicians’ Union of Australia, “should be to protect workers and the public
from the known dangers of passive smoking in these venues. No bar worker or
entertainer should be expected to work in conditions in which they are
repeatedly exposed to secondhand smoke, whether or not the area is fully
enclosed.
“We
see little benefit,” he adds, “in merely replacing one set of complicated
exemptions with another.
“We
urge governments to follow Queensland’s example, where smoking is not allowed
in areas where food or drinks are served, or where
musicians or other entertainers perform.”
Tim
Ferrari agrees: “Allowing mostly-enclosed areas to remain smoky would be a
‘fudge’ of the agreed deadlines and a betrayal of the considerable
compromises already made by our workers – at significant risk to their health.
“Anything
less than protection of workers from repeated exposure is quite unacceptable, a
breach of understandings on this issue and clearly inconsistent with
occupational health and safety laws.”
#
See www.ashaust.org.au/SF’03/health.htm
Comment:
Tim
Ferrari, LHMU
m. 0425-242-727
Terry
Noone, Musicians’ Union
m. 0409-405-657
Stafford
Sanders, Co-ordinator, SmokeFree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823
m. 0412-070-194
SmokeFree Australia coalition
for clean safe workplaces:
Liquor,
Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union; Musicians’ Union of Australia; Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Australian Council of
Trade Unions; Action on Smoking and Health Australia; The Cancer Council
Australia; National Heart Foundation of Australia; Australian Council on Smoking
and Health; Non-Smokers’ Movement of Australia; Australian Medical
Association; Asthma and Allergy Research Institute.