Sociology 31 Summary of September 29th, 1998 Prof. Aldich

Sociology 31, Fall 1998, Prof. Aldrich
September 29^th1998

Summary

Dangerous Work

How is work dangerous?
1) hazardous work situation
exposure to toxic substances
unsafe equipment
unsafe facilities
2) stressful work situation
layoff and unemployment
stress on the job related to responsibility and limited control
Historical Changes:
Early Factory System- Employer did nothing
In what way did the law shield employers?:
1. Negligence - worker responsible for exercising caution
2. Contributory negligence - ee contributed to problem (i.e. by smoking, or drinking, not paying attention, acting recklessly, etc.)
Conditions Changed -- Unions and Public Outcry
What are some developments that began to give workers some protection?
1. Workmen's compensation
a. Requires employers to pay into a fund (ee can get compensated for injury)
b. This made it difficult for employers to be sued by employees, and so shielded them again
c. Amount of compensation varied by state
2. New law for National Worker's Compensation in 1979
a. Federal Act
b. Standardized work compensation
c. Set a minimum (but did not make all states the same -- they could still pay more)
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act; Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the administrative unit)
1. What policies and programs did OSHA provide for improving workers' health & safety?:
Inspectors to check safety, other provisions we discussed in class and listed in Hodson and Sullivan's discussion
2. What problems limit OSHA's effectiveness? e.g. too few inspectors; what else?
3. OSHA agencies at Federal and State level, e.g. North Carolina has an OSHA agency that looked into the Hamlet Imperial Chicken Processing plant fire
4. NIOSH (National Inst. of Occupational Safety and Health)
What does it do? Test chemicals etc. for safe levels of exposure
IN what ways did "Right to Know" Laws give workers more protection?
1. State by State (NC one of two southern states with it)
2. Workers must be told if they work with a regulated hazardous material
3. Disclosure Requirements now built into laws and court cases
EE's must be told if work with unregulated but known hazardous materials
Why is there a problem in deciding how to compensate workers?
1. Negligence and contributory negligence on part of ee
2. Synergistic problems (can't separate out the effects of work conditions from other effects)
3. Long delay in seeing effects of hazardous conditions

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