TFL News
Employees Breathing Toxic Air: Air in many BR Bars, Casinos “Very Unhealthy,” even “Hazardous”
A new study of air quality in Baton Rouge bars and casinos that allow smoking reveals that most have “Very Unhealthy” and even “Hazardous” levels of indoor air pollution.
BATON ROUGE – A new study of air quality in Baton Rouge bars and casinos that allow smoking reveals that most have “Unhealthy” and even “Hazardous” levels of indoor air pollution. The study was conducted by the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Louisiana (CTFLA) and data analysis was provided by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s School of Public Health. The study assessed the impact of environmental tobacco smoke on indoor air quality by measuring indoor air pollution in 27 Baton Rouge area bars and one casino.
On average, Baton Rouge bars had “Very Unhealthy” air quality, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. The health effects associated with this level of exposure include: significant aggravation of heart or lung disease, premature mortality in people with cardiopulmonary disease and older adults, and a significant increase in negative respiratory effects within the general population. A full 85 percent of the bars sampled – 23 of 27 bars – had "Unhealthy," "Very Unhealthy," or "Hazardous" air quality levels. None of the bars had "Good" air quality. The one casino that was sampled had "Unhealthy" air quality.
Secondhand tobacco smoke is comprised of a large number of very small particles, or “particulate matter.” The study involved taking real-time measurements of fine particulate matter using a direct reading instrument. Concentrations of these harmful particulates are measured in numbers from zero to 250 and higher. According to the EPA Air Quality Index, measurements between zero and 15 are rated as “Good,” ratings from 150 to 250 are “Very Unhealthy” and measurements of 250 and up are considered “Hazardous.” In the Baton Rouge analysis, the average concentration level in the bars examined was 237, or almost 14 times higher than the measured air quality of nonsmoking restaurants in Louisiana.
“Simply put, what we learned from this study is that employees in these Baton Rouge establishments are breathing unhealthy air on a regular basis,” said Dr. Daniel Harrington, assistant professor and lead on data analysis for the study. “In fact, one Baton Rouge bar was measured at 802, which is one of the highest indoor levels I have ever seen, and is well into the hazardous category.”
Air monitoring was conducted from April 14, 2010, through April 24, 2010 between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.
“This study provides solid, scientific evidence that bar and casino employees and musicians and entertainers are risking their health to earn a living in smoke-filled, unhealthy workplaces and that is simply unacceptable.” said Senator Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia. “How many more studies do we need before we do the right thing and make bars and casinos in Louisiana smoke-free? I hope that my colleagues in the House listen to the facts and to the voice of the nonsmoking majority in our state and do their part to protect the health and wellbeing of thousands of hard-working Louisianans.”
Carrie Griffin Broussard, Policy & Advocacy Program Manager for The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living said that the new study serves to reinforce results from other studies around the country. These studies show bar and casino employees and performers who play in such venues involuntarily inhale enough secondhand smoke every day to suffer some of the same negative health effects of pack-a-day smokers.
“Here we have yet another study that illustrates just how important it is to protect Louisiana’s bar and casino employees from the proven dangers of secondhand smoke. Even we were surprised at just how unhealthy the air was in some of these establishments,” said Andrew Muhl, Government Relations Director with the American Cancer Society and CTFLA Partner. “After implementation of The Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act in 2007, similar air quality studies were conducted in restaurants and we saw quite a difference – most were in the EPA’s Moderate to Good range. For the sake of the employees, we would love to see this type of improvement in Louisiana’s bars and casinos.”
The Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act, or Act 815, went into effect January 1, 2007. The law protects most employees and the general public from the dangerous health effects of secondhand smoke exposure by eliminating smoking in schools, public places, and most workplaces. Under Act 815, free-standing bars and casinos were exempted and employees of these establishments continue to be exposed to toxic levels of secondhand smoke. The goal of CTFLA is to advocate for healthy smoke-free workplaces for all Louisiana employees.
For more information on the growing movement to protect all Louisiana employees from secondhand smoke, visit www.letsbetotallyclear.org or contact Andrew Muhl, American Cancer Society Government Relations Director, at 225-276-1941 or andrew.muhl@cancer.org.
