Hazards: Technology and Fairness (Series on Technology and Social Priorities)

"In the burgeoning literature on technological hazards, this volume is one of the best," states Choice in a three-part approach, it addresses the moral, scientific, social, and commercial questions inherent in hazards management. Part I discusses how best to regulate hazards arising from chronic, low-level exposures and from low-probability events when science is unable to assign causes or estimate consequences of such hazards; Part II examines fairness in the distribution of risks and benefits of potentially hazardous technologies; and Part III presents practical lessons and cautions about managing hazardous technologies. Together, the three sections put hazard management into perspective, providing a broad spectrum of views and information.

• Front Matter
• INTRODUCTION: EMERGING ISSUES IN HAZARD MANAGEMENT
• REFERENCE
• PART 1 UNCERTAINTY
• Science and Its Limits: The Regulator's Dilemma
• SCIENCE AND RARE EVENTS
• "Scientific" Approaches to Rare Events
• Low-Level Exposure
• How Science Reacts to Intrinsic Uncertainty
• THE ATTACK ON SCIENCE FROM THE SOCIOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE
• Technological Fix
• The De Minimis Principle
• CONCLUSIONS
• REFERENCES
• Causality of a Given Cancer After Known Radiation Exposure
• ACCIDENTAL HARM IN POPULATIONS OF EXPOSED PERSONS
• QUANTAL RESPONSE IN A POPULATION OF HARMED PERSONS
• RADIOTHERAHY OR ACCIDENTAL HIGH-LEVEL RADIATION EXPOSURE
• LOW-LEVEL EXPOSURE OF NORMAL POPULATIONS
• RADIOBIOLOGICAL RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
• PROBABILITY OF CAUSATION IN CANCER CASES
• References
• Dealing With Uncertainty About Risk in Risk Management
• Risk Assessment Policy
• Is Conservatism Protective?
• The Social Costs of Error
• Resource Constraints and Risk Management
• Risk Transfers
• CONSERVATISM IN RISK ASSESSMENT: COMMENTS
• DE MINIMIS RISK
• De Minimis Risk and Conflicting Social Objectives
• Individual Versus Societal Definition of De Minimis Risk
• Applying the De Minimis Concept
• References
• Scientists, Engineers, and the Burdens of Occupational Exposure: The Case of the Lead Standard
• BACKGROUND OF THE OSHA LEAD STANDARD
• HEARINGS ON THE OSHA STANDARD: SCIENCE, POLITICS, AND THE CLASH OF INTERESTS
• THE FINAL LEAD STANDARD
• CONCLUSIONS
• References
• PART 2 EQUITY AND COMPENSATION
• Hypersusceptibility to Occupational Hazards
• HYPERSUSCEPTIBLE GROUPS
• SCREENING AND MONITORING
• FAIRNESS
• References
• The Bhopalization of American Tort Law
• Bipolarity
• Timeliness
• The Driving Force
• CAN THE LEGAL SYSTEM COPE?
• Regressive Incentives
• Kindling the Flames
• The Writing on the Wall
• Institutional Competence
• Deferring to the Experts
• Compensating Victims
• PUBLIC RISKS AND POLITICAL LEGITIMACY
• NOTES
• References
• THE PRINCIPLE OF FORESEEABILITY
• Fire and Wind Cases
• Product Liability Cases
• THE PRINCIPLE OF JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY WITHOUT CONTRIBUTION
• New Determinants of Duty
• Mandatory Allocation of Damages Among Responsible Parties
• References
• Hazardous Waste Facility Siting: Community, Firm, and Governmental Perspectives
• The Need for a Systems Approach
• Risk Uncertainty
• Public Perception of Risk
• Equity and the Ethics of Risk Imposition
• Institutional Distrust
• Communicating Risk to the Public
• Problem and Institutional Mismatch
• Approach 1: Locational Opportunism
• Approach 2: Imposition by Central Authority
• Approach 3: Bartered Consent
• Approach 4: Fairness-Centered Process
• Conceptualizing the Siting Problem
• An Ethical Base for Siting
• Risk Reduction and Safety Assurance
• The Role of Compensation
• References
• Hazard Compensation and Incentive Systems: An Economic Perspective
• PROBLEM CHARACTERISTICS
• DESIGNING INCENTIVE SYSTEMS FOR PROTECTIVE ACTIVITIES
• Broadening the Time Horizon
• Penalties and Fines
• COMPENSATION IN SITING TECHNOLOGICAL FACILITIES
• Wes-Con, Inc.
• Wes-Con, Inc.
• Self-Insurance Funds
• Integrating Stakeholders and Stages
• Eliciting Preferences for Communities
• CONCLUSIONS
• References
• PART 3 MANAGING TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS
• Economic, Legal, and Practical Problems in Hazardous Waste Cleanup and Management
• HOW CLEAN IS CLEAN?
• Harris Corporation
• Sapp Battery Salvage
• Jacksonville
• Whitehouse Oil Pits
• Tower Chemical
• Liability Insurance
• Cleanup Delays
• Sovereign Immunity
• PRACTICAL PROBLEMS
• PROSPECTS FOR LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT
• National Small-Quantity Generator Survey
• Amnesty Days
• The Case for Transfer Stations
• Another Alternative: Incineration
• CONCLUSION
• Focusing Private-Sector Action on Public Hazards
• CLEAN SITES INC.: GOALS AND ORGANIZATION
• WHAT CAN CLEAN SITES INC. DO?
• DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE
• References
• Three Mile Island and Bhopal: Lessons Learned and Not Learned
• LESSONS FOR INDUSTRY
• LESSONS FOR REGULATORS
• THE PUBLIC
• SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS
• References
• Managing Technological Hazards: Success, Strain, and Surprise
• INSTITUTIONS OF HAZARD MANAGEMENT
• THE PERSISTENCE OF SURPRISE
• LIMITS TO HAZARD MANAGEMENT
• TECHNOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL FIXES
• SHIFTING ATTITUDES, INSTITUTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• References
• ABOUT THE AUTHORS