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Ethical and scientific issues of nanotechnology in the workplace.

Schulte-PA; Salamanca-Buentello-F

Environ Health Perspect 2007 Jan; 115(1):5-12

http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9456

20031011

In the absence of scientific clarity about the potential health effects of occupational exposure to nanoparticles, a need exists for guidance in decision-making about hazards, risks, and controls. An identification of the ethical issues involved may be useful to decision-makers, particularly employers, workers, investors, and health authorities. Since the goal of occupational safety and health is the prevention of disease in workers, the situations that have ethical implications that most affect workers have been identified. These situations include the (1) identification and communication of hazards and risks by scientists, authorities, and employers, (2) workers' acceptance of risk, (3) selection and implementation of controls, (4) establishment of medical screening programs, and (5) investment in toxicologic and control research. The ethical issues involve the unbiased determination of hazards and risks, nonmaleficence (doing no harm), autonomy, justice privacy, and promoting respect for persons. As the ethical issues are identified and explored, options for decision-makers can be developed. Additionally, societal deliberations about workplace risks of nanotechnologies may be enhanced by special emphasis on small businesses and adoption of a global perspective. This article is available in: English: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9456"target="_blank">http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9456</a> Spanish: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/27011272/Cuestiones-eticas-y-cientificas-de-la-nanotecnologia-en-el-lugar-de-trabajo"target="_blank">http://www.scribd.com/doc/27011272/Cuestiones-eticas-y-cientificas-de-la-nanotecnologia-en-el-lugar-de-trabajo</a> French: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/43616822/Questions-ethiques-et-problemes-scientifiques-poses-par-la-nanotechnologie-sur-les-lieux-de-travail"target="_blank">http://www.scribd.com/doc/43616822/Questions-ethiques-et-problemes-scientifiques-poses-par-la-nanotechnologie-sur-les-lieux-de-travail</a>

Work-environment; Occupational-health; Occupational-exposure; Occupational-hazards; Health-hazards; Risk-factors; Risk-analysis; Workers; Worker-health; Employees; Employee-health; Employee-exposure; Medical-screening; Occupational-health-programs; Occupational-safety-programs; Diseases; Disease-prevention; Nanotechnology; Author Keywords: ethics; hazards; nanotechnology; occupational safety and health; particles; toxicology

Paul A. Schulte, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226

EVHPAZ

20070101

Journal Article

pschulte@cdc.gov

2007

1

0091-6765

EID

Environmental Health Perspectives

OH