Health and Safety in the Workplace Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

Introduction The Deadliest Catch OSSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Healthy Workplace How healthy is healthy? – What is the standard? Knowledge of Health Risks – How much research into health risks? Imperfect information – Unknown Health Risks Health Risks – Physical Health Exposure to disease causing agents – Lead, mercury etc. Exposure to communicable diseases – Influenza, – Mental Health Exposure to mental health risks – Depression

Safe Workplace How safe is safe? – How does one set safety standards? Too high Too low – Industry Specific Standards Accidents vs. Negligence Responsibility – Accidents – Corporate Responsibility – Employee Responsibility – Governmental Responsibility

Issues State Paternalism – Stockholder Theory – Stakeholder Theory Risk Taking – Vulnerable groups Are employees vulnerable groups? – Voluntary assumption of risk v. involuntary assumption Rights of individual – Right to know vs. right to be protected from hazardous work » Right to refuse – Duty to provide information v. duty to protect Rights of Corporations Coercive Offers Responsibility – Corporate – Employee – Government Monitoring and Enforcement – Trade-off between Safety and Costs – Effectiveness of Monitoring Underfunded Governmental Agencies (OSHA) Cultural Relativism

Discuss the Health and Safety Risks of the Following Occupations Policemen Firemen School Teachers Day Care Workers Steel Workers College Professors Health Care Workers