| Document ID (ISN) | 30801 |
| CIS number |
79-430 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0362-4064 - Occupational Health and Safety |
| Year |
1978 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Grawey R. |
| Title |
Carcinogens should not be protected under a 'trade secrets' umbrella. |
| Bibliographic information |
May-June 1978, Vol.47, No.3, p.24-28. 2 ref. |
| Abstract |
This article refers to the results of the National Occupational Hazards Survey carried out in 4,600 workplaces in the USA by 20 chemical engineers over a period of 2 years. This survey showed that 70% of recorded exposures were to industrial chemical products with a trade name, and that in 90% of these cases neither the workers who used it nor the employers who obtained it knew the exact chemical nature of the product. This article emphasises the real danger that chemical products used in industry in the USA sometimes contain carcinogens, but that this fact is not mentioned on the label on account of U.S. law concerning trade secrets and confidentiality. Workers are particularly unaware of the hazard on account of the insidious nature of carcinogens and long latency periods, as opposed to other industrial toxics, of which workers rapidly become aware even if the substance is not adequately labelled. The article calls for prompt action from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (e.g. an adequate labelling standard) and other reforms. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
carcinogens; hazard identification; warning notices; chemical products |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
USA; legislation; survey; labelling |
| Document type |
- |
| Subject(s) |
Toxic and dangerous substances
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Classification and labelling of chemicals
|
