Take Immediate Action to Protect Communities and Workers-BACKGROUND #6

In the Background Paper #6, Take Immediate Action to Protect Communities and Workers, details the need for chemical policy reform regarding chemical exposures that pose a high-risk to workers and communities. The paper's goal is to reduce and eliminate dangerous chemical exposures to these populations. Currently, the government policy regarding this issue requires that companies provide the minimum in efforts to reduce, eliminate, protect its workers and the surrounding communities. While some companies are making efforts towards a more green and environmentally friendly production, others have continued to put fourth minimal effort.  

The paper provides solutions that would reduce and help protect communities and workers.  Additionally, the article discusses the policy and legal gaps surrounding the issue.  The population being addressed is one that is marginalized and often forgotten.  Currently, several house bills and public policy reform have begun to bring these members and their concerns to the forefront.  For example, AB 815 in California protects workers from harmful exposures.  The bill "would close the gap between workplace and environmental Permissable Exposure Levels by directing the California Occupational Safety and Heath (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board to make use of the state health department’s risk assessments for chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects to adopt revised or new workplace standards for any hazardous substances for which there is a quantitative risk assessment prepared or published by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment."  Bills such as the one above, are necessary and needed to help protect these communities. 



Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 5, 2018 at 7:45 AM

    Mehgan - Hi Ryan. you did a great job here summarizing the paper. Some of the issues and solutions discussed in this paper is vital to addressing these policy and legal gaps. I definitely start to think about the undocumented community in the Central Valley in California and their exposures to chemicals. This is so important to revise work standards to make sure employees are protected from hazardous chemicals. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 15, 2018 at 9:31 AM

    Hi Ryan,

    Thanks for sharing about background paper #6. As you mention, the people who are exposed to toxic chemicals in the workplace are marginalized groups and many of them are either too afraid to say something, or aren't educated about the impact the exposure could have on their health. Though many companies are making efforts toward being environmentally safe, I wonder what it would take to motivate the companies who make minimal effort? I'm also curious about the impact workers could have if they were more aware of the health concerns.

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