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OSHA Withdrawls Proposed Indoor Smoking Regulation
Assistant Secretary of Occupational Safety and Health John Henshaw announced
that OSHA is withdrawing an inactive indoor air quality regulation proposed
in 1994. The decision was reached with the support of major anti-smoking public
health groups including the American Heart Association, the American Cancer
Society, and American Lung Association, and Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights
and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids.
"Most of the activity on workplace smoking restrictions is now taking place
at the state and local level," Henshaw said. "Today's action takes the positive
step of setting aside what had become a contentious and unproductive effort.
Of course, this action does not preclude future agency action if the need arises.
According to the American Lung Association, there has been a 50 percent increase
in workplaces that have a smoke-free policy since 1994. Today, nearly 70 percent
of employees work in businesses that have instituted smoke-free workplace policies.
"The urgency for federal action that existed when the rule making began has
been changed by the actions of local communities, private employers and the
states," Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said
in a letter to OSHA.
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