The Health and safety of workers : case studies in the politics of professional responsibility

Scientists are generally expected to make professional judgements about hazards in the workplace independently of partisan interests and politics. Yet the history of occupational health and safety shows that their judgements are often influenced by social, economic, and political factors totally beyond the realm of science. In this volume, three case studies - lead, coal, and asbestos - are used to explore the role of scientists in the discovery and regulation of occupational hazards. Each case includes a detailed historical exposition, and an assessment of the factors and conditions that make possible - or prevent - the development of social ethics and responsibility on the part of the scientists. Health professionals in public health, preventive medicine, and occupational medicine; medical ethicists.