Including tobacco hazard and occupational risk factors into the national guideline for occupational health surveillance in China

Abstract

Aim: To promote the knowledge and awareness about the harmful effects of smoking, and the application of occupational hazard control regulations and measures for tobacco control in the workplace, we listed tobacco hazards into The Technical Specifications for Occupational Health Surveillance (OHS), the Occupational Health Standards of China.

Methods: We organized a task force for Technical Specifications for OHS and used research findings in China to show that smoking is at least as important as occupational hazards in damaging the health of the workers. We advocated for the inclusion of smoking and passive smoking as the essential personal information for OHS, and that tobacco control should be a focus in the control of health hazards in the workplace.

Results: Based on our previous cohort studies of 160,000 workers exposed to smoking and occupational hazards in Guangzhou and Harrington's study on lung cancer from smoking or asbestos exposure, smoking greatly increased the mortality and risk for lung cancer. After three years of hard work, debates, persuasion and 6 revisions, our proposals were included in The Technical Specifications for OHS. Smoking was accepted to be as important as the occupational exposure history. The drafted standards were approved by the National Ministry of Health and put into practice on October 1, 2007. This shows, control of smoking in the workplace is a main focus.

Conclusions: For the first time in the history of occupational health in China, tobacco control is now a major focus in the workplace and is enforced by law nationally.