DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
From: ILPI Support <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Color-blindness as a lab safety concern
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 14:13:56 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: C5A93D14-4C12-423F-8357-1AA103B60A23**At_Symbol_Here**ilpi.com
In-Reply-To
The classic example (and, no doubt, Monona has an entire filing cabinet devoted to this topic) is Automobile Workers v Johnson Controls, which held that a lead-acid battery manufacturer was not allowed to prohibit women of child-bearing age from working on the assembly lines because of fetotoxicity of lead: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/499/187.html
I'm not aware of any public articles on what Johnson Controls did after the ruling, but in the Hollywood feel-good ending, they were faced with the task of ensuring that the lead exposure of ALL their employees was controlled so that any women working in this environment would not receive exposures of lead beyond permissible limits. Everyone wins because the workplace is safer etc. etc.
And industry wonders why there are so many "burdensome" regulations. If they self-policed themselves, stuff like this wouldn't happen and there wouldn't be a need for such regulations. Alas, capitalism dictates that those who can cut the most costs (corners) are the victors, so there is a disincentive to do things the right (e.g. safe) way. Capitalism is arguably the best economic system devised, however it fails miserably as a social system.
(insert tangential comments about Cabinet appointees here).
Rob Toreki
======================================================
Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand names
Fax: (856) 553-6154, PO Box 1003, Blackwood, NJ 08012
I'm sorry, but if you have bowed legs lady, ballet is not for you. Tone deaf? Put down that Butterfly score.
I can understand this point, but I have seen many ADA-inspired accommodations for people with specific difficulties make a hazardous situation easier and safety for everyone. I've also seen the opposite occur. A balanced approach to specific cases is needed, but is not always inevitable.
- Ralph
Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Environmental Safety Manager
Keene State College
603 358-2859
ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu---
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