Vic workers exposed to smoke on the job

Research by Quit Victoria shows one-in-three people in the state inhale second-hand smoke while at work.

One-in-three Victorians breathe in second-hand smoke while at work, research shows. (AAP)

About one-in-three Victorians breathe in second-hand smoke on the job, new research shows.

Quit Victoria surveyed 4000 workers and found 34 per cent reported passive smoking while inside or outside at work during the course of an average week.

Exposure jumped to 45 per cent for tradespeople and hairdressers.

"It's really alarming to see such a high number of Victorians having to regularly inhale the deadly smoke from other people's cigarettes while going about their work," Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White said.

Men were more likely than woman to breathe in second-hand smoke, while both smokers and non-smokers reported similar levels of exposure.

Quit Victoria urged businesses to make sure their workplaces are smoke-free.