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Occupational safety and health standards.
R A Lemen1, L F Mazzuckelli, R W Niemeier
1National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Developing generic workplace safety standards, rather than substance-by-substance, is crucial for timely and effective hazard control. This approach addresses synergism and various occupational risks, promoting a safer work environment.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Industrial Hygiene
- Risk Management
Background:
- Current occupational safety standards often focus on individual substances, which can be time-consuming and may overlook synergistic effects.
- A substance-by-substance approach can be inefficient for addressing complex workplace hazards.
- The need for more timely and comprehensive strategies in workplace safety is evident.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for a shift towards generic approaches in developing workplace safety standards.
- To highlight the limitations of substance-specific regulations.
- To propose alternative strategies for more effective occupational hazard control.
Main Methods:
- Reviewing existing approaches to occupational safety standard development.
- Identifying examples of successful generic standard applications.
- Analyzing different categories for generic hazard control, including processes, substance groups, and hazard types.
Main Results:
- Generic standards are applicable to various hazards like cholinesterase inhibitors, neurotoxic agents, and reproductive hazards.
- Addressing workplace processes (e.g., coke oven emissions) and groups of similar substances (e.g., alkanes, glycol ethers) offers effective control.
- Broad hazard categories, such as generic carcinogen policies and hazard communication, provide a comprehensive framework.
Conclusions:
- Generic approaches to workplace safety standards are more timely and effective than substance-specific ones.
- Considering synergism and various hazard categories is essential for robust occupational disease prevention.
- Risk assessment and enforcement are critical components in creating safer workplaces and avoiding recklessness.