Clearing The Air

Smoking ban saves factory workers from the hazards of secondhand smoke

However, as you can see, secondhand smoke is the least of these workers' concerns.

I happened to be at a manufacturing facility today to help design an air filtration solution to remove welding smoke created during production processes. More than one employee as well as the owner explained that the local health department stopped by recently to inform them that the new smoking ban forbids anyone from smoking in their facility. I hope I don't need to point out the hypocrisy and senseless logic in this policy.

Not only have I designed and engineered air filtration solutions for 17 years now, I also have monitoring equipment to measure air quality levels regarding indoor air pollutants. And I guarantee you that welding smoke levels are far more hazardous and in higher concentration than secondhand tobacco smoke.

As a matter of fact, environmental health department air quality testing of Twin Cities bars & restaurants found that secondhand smoke levels are 15 -500 times safer than OSHA permissible exposure limits (pel). While British Medical Journal published air quality test results prove that secondhand smoke is 2.6 - 5,000 times safer than OSHA permissible exposure limits (pel).

So why aren't pro-smoking ban lawmakers introducing laws that require welding smoke levels to be 2.6 - 5,000 times safer than OSHA permissible exposure limits?

The answer is simple, facts and air quality test results of secondhand smoke are not allowed to interfere with the nanny-fascist agenda. But more importantly, the lobbying groups who demand smoking bans are heavily funded by pharmaceutical nicotine (Nicoderm) interests.......these same rent seeking lobbyists have not yet found a way to capitalize on welding smoke patches.

(Ventilation equipment is allowed in the industrial workplace to improve air quality, why not in the commercial workplace?)

posted by marcus aurelius @ 7:29 PM