Right to know and the duty to disclose hazard information
Since 1970, OSHA has used its authority to regulate various health and safety hazards in private workplaces. Two types of OSHA regulations establish rights to know and duties to disclose: rules dealing with specific substances, and generic access to information rules. OSHA rules for specific hazards such as coke oven emissions, asbestos, arsenic, acrylonitrile, cotton dust, noise, and lead each contain separate requirements for record compilation, reporting, and worker access. Generic rights of access and duties to disclose are afforded by three OSHA rules: the rule on inspections under the general duty clause of the enabling statute, the access to medical and exposure records rule, and the new hazard communication rule. Under the general duty clause and OSHA regulation, workers have the right to request OSHA inspection, and to be notified of any imminent dangers of death or serious physical harm discovered by the inspector. The effectiveness of this rule is dependent on worker initiative, OSHA inspection, and the extent to which proprietary claims limit disclosures. It is usually invoked after some exposure has occurred, and thus has a somewhat limited role in risk prevention. Legal and historical aspects of these regulations are discussed in detail in this review. 38 references
- Research Organization:
- Boston Univ. School of Public Health, MA
- OSTI ID:
- 7003013
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Public Health Nation's Health; (United States), Vol. 74:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Responsible practices, proactive communications yield positive environmental image
The EPA's process safety management program for preventing accidental chemical releases (40 CFR 68)
Related Subjects
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
LEGAL ASPECTS
REGULATIONS
REVIEWS
US OSHA
ACRYLONITRILE
AIR POLLUTION
ARSENIC
ASBESTOS
COKE OVENS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
LEAD
MEDICAL RECORDS
NOISE POLLUTION
PERSONNEL
WORKING CONDITIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
HAZARDS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITRILES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
SEMIMETALS
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)