Chapter 3 - Occupational health and safety standards

Abstract

This chapter describes occupational health and safety standards. These standards depend upon an assessment of what is socially acceptable and what is not. These standards are based on highly technical and scientific considerations. A standard is a judgment of the social acceptability of risk. Legal jurisdictions regarding the setting of standards are confused by the sheer multiplicity of governmental agencies having diverse authorities, the relative role of legislative, executive, and judicial functions, and the proliferation of professional organizations. A safety and health standard regarding a particular hazard may be based on historical experience with the hazard (usually in the workplace), laboratory studies (of animals and, to a much lesser extent, humans), and epidemiological studies. Laboratory studies provide essential data on the relationship between quantitative exposure to a hazardous agent and the effect of exposure.