Report on SHS in Prisons: Final Report

This document represents the final report of a study examining exposure to Second Hand
Smoke (SHS) in prisons across the prison estate of England & Wales commissioned by the
Ministry of Justice (MoJ). A mixture of methods and devices were employed to measure
concentrations of fine particulate matter (as PM2.5 – particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in
diameter) using co-located real-time direct reading instruments (Dylos DC1700 and Sidepak
AM510 Personal Aerosol Monitor) across a range of prison locations and through personal
sampling of a number of staff.
Output from a pilot study in one prison confirmed that the Dylos DC1700, Sidepak AM510
Personal Aerosol Monitor and the collection of saliva for analysis of cotinine provided an
appropriate, practical and simple method for characterising exposure to SHS in prison settings.
Biological markers of SHS exposure including exhaled Carbon Monoxide and salivary cotinine
were also gathered. Questionnaire data to determine how frequently prison staff considered
they were exposed to SHS were also obtained. There was clear evidence of SHS in smoking
cells, occasionally in non-smoking cells and all prison wing samples measured.
Measurements of personal exposure of prison staff also indicate exposure to SHS across the
work-shift, with levels varying considerably between each of the six prison establishments. In
three of the six prisons the personal exposure of the majority of prison staff measured
exceeded the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance value for PM2.5, (25 mg/m3
). Overall,
approximately one-sixth of the time that prison staff spent at work involved exposure to PM2.5 at
concentrations that exceeded the WHO guidance limit. Prison staff were also found to
experience considerable short-term peak exposures with the highest 1-minute PM2.5
measurement being 1,027 mg/m3
. These peaks are likely to be associated with entering cells
where smoking takes place. Cross-shift salivary cotinine measurements also provided data that
indicated SHS exposure was apparent among this workforce.
Both short (approximately 15 minute) and longer-term (4-7 day) static PM2.5 measurements
made at various locations within the prisons suggest that SHS levels can be considerable in
many prison areas. SHS levels tended to be higher particularly during meal-times, periods of
association and at the weekends.
Given that there is no safe level of exposure to SHS, that SHS is a known carcinogen and that
the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (as amended)
state that exposure to carcinogens must be controlled to levels as low as reasonably
practicable, the National Offender and Management Service (NOMS) should consider
implementing measures to further reduce or eliminate SHS within the prison estate.