Construction Worksites and Smoking

Smoke-Free Construction Worksites

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, building trade workers smoke at rates 60-87 percent higher than the general population and they have much lower quit success rates.

In studies conducted, this category of workers are more likely to have started smoking at an earlier age, continue to be heavy smokers and are less likely to have tried to quit smoking.

Demographics among construction tradesmen also speak to the need for education regarding tobacco use as the workforce is made up largely of disparately affected populations including a large percentage of Latinos. Latinos represent a rapidly growing segment of this workforce as they filled two-thirds of new construction jobs in the United States in 2006¹.

People working in the building trades are also exposed to numerous other toxins on the job such as carbon monoxide (from welding), asbestos, fiberglass, etc., many of which interact with smoking and increase cancer rates. Worksite tobacco policies and practices that provide tobacco education, support cessation, and create smoke-free environments can help to change this trend.

American Lung Association in Colorado will reach out to construction companies regarding tobacco use and the health risks associated with secondhand smoke. We will facilitate this pilot project, bringing partners to the table, providing resources, training, and support along with guiding the development of individual implementation plans for each construction company. Key to this process will be a plan which ensures that the construction workers themselves, and not just corporate employees, of each company are successfully reached.

This program is funded by the State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP) using revenues generated by the tobacco tax increase.

For more information about this exciting program, please contact Johanna Matsuda, Smoke Free Communities Manager: jmatsuda@lungcolorado.org or call 303-847-0279.

¹ Rocky Mountain News, “Most New Construction Jobs in US Filled by Hispanics”, March 8, 2007.

Other tobacco pages:

   Quit Smoking
You can do it! Local resources to help people of all ages say "no" and mean it.

   Resources for Schools
Our breathing lung exhibit leaves a lasting impression on elementary students, and our N-O-T (Not On Tobacco) program has helped thousands of teens quit smoking.

   Secondhand Smoke Info
Find out what efforts are being made in your community to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.

Eliminating Tobacco Disparities
Certain culturally diverse communities experience higher tobacco addiction rates than other groups. See what's being done.

Tobacco Industry Exposed
The "Tobacco Industry Involvement in Colorado" report is one of our most popular downloads.

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