Ventilation and Designated Smoking Rooms (DSRs)
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Ventilation
The tobacco industry, and some members of the hospitality sector, has promoted ventilation as a viable alternative to smoking bans in bars and restaurants.
The scientific evidence however proves that ventilation and air-cleaning systems do not provide effective protection against the health hazards of second-hand smoke.
While ventilation can clear some of the smoke from the air, there is no ventilation system that can remove enough toxins to effectively protect workers and the public from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Designated Smoking Rooms
Prior to the government's recent announcement that in 2008 smoking would be banned in all public places with no allowances for Designated Smoking Rooms, separately ventilated Designated Smoking Rooms (DSRs) were promoted as an alternative to banning all indoor smoking in the hospitality industry. Under current BC workplace health and safety regulations (WCB Regulations) smoking is permitted in DSRs, but the Liberal government imposed changes to the WCB Regulations, over the objections of the WCB, to allow workers in the hospitality industry only, to work in these smoking rooms for a period of time not to exceed 20% of their work shift.
Studies have shown however, that even under the best-ventilated conditions, DSRs do not adequately protect the health of workers. Further, the science confirms that there is no safe level of exposure to the toxins found in cigarette smoke. Thus, DSRs should not be considered a viable alternative to the protection afforded by 100% smoke-free legislation.
Quick Facts - Ventilated Designated Smoking Rooms
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The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the world's leading association of heating and air conditioning engineers whose indoor air quality standards are followed internationally, considers that there is no acceptable ventilation system that can protect individuals exposed to second-hand smoke and that there is no safe level of exposure to the toxins found in cigarette smoke.
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In 1999, the BC Capital Regional District (CRD) was the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a Clean Air Bylaw that banned smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars, with NO allowances for DSRs. During the process of implementing their bylaw, the CRD conducted a review to determine the level of ventilation required to protect the public from second-hand smoke. The engineer in charge of testing found that the number of air exchanges per hour needed to remove the toxins would be the equivalent of sitting in a 20km/hr wind tunnel.
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James Repace, an internationally recognized second-hand smoke physicist, reports that tornado-like levels of ventilation would be necessary to reach an acceptable risk level of exposure to second-hand smoke.
Quick Facts - Problems with Designated Smoking Rooms (DSRs)
Many municipalities that initially allowed DSRs are now considering banning DSRs, including Vancouver and Whistler for reasons which include some of the following issues:
DSRs do not adequately protect workers and the public. There is no ventilation system capable of removing all the toxins in the air to meet air quality standards.
DSRs create an uneven playing field. Some owners can afford to build them, while others cannot.
DSRs often fail to comply with municipal bylaw or provincial regulation operational requirements. The York Region in Ontario completed a major review of DSR airflow in 2003/2004 and 75% of DSRs inspected failed to maintain the basic requirements.
DSRs are difficult to monitor and enforce. The BC Workers Compensation Board (WCB) admits the Liberal government's amended regulation allowing hospitality workers to be exposed to second-hand smoke for a maximum of 20% of their shift is difficult to monitor and enforce.
Hospitality workers, many of whom are young and in entry-level jobs, may feel intimidated to refuse to work in DSRs, and thus compromise their health for fear of losing their job or having their hours reduced. (See letter from hospitality worker.)
DSRs create the "slippery slope" effect. While the WCB Regulation was intended to complement municipal bylaws and not replace them, in reality, many municipalities with stronger bylaws were pressured to weaken their legislation to come in line with WCB Regulations.
Many municipalities weakened their bylaws to comply with the WCB Regulation by allowing DSRs and/or increasing the size of the allowable floor space for DSRs. These include: Coquitlam, New Westminster, Langley, Port Moody Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Surrey and West Vancouver.
PDF Downloads
 | Letter from a young hospitality worker in Prince George who confirms the problems with DSRs | |
| Reports by James L Repace MSc (an international second-hand smoke expert who has published more than 60 scientific papers on the hazards of exposure to second-hand smoke; why ventilation poses unacceptable risks to non-smokers and why second-hand smoke cannot be controlled by ventilation or air cleaning) | |
| Beware Indoor Ozone-Generating Air Purifiers |
