First Name
Last Name
Email (required)
I agree to receive emails from the National Academies (required)

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.

Search this publication

Front Matter i-x
INTRODUCTION: EMERGING ISSUES IN HAZARD MANAGEMENT 1-5
REFERENCE 6-6
PART 1 UNCERTAINTY 7-8
Science and Its Limits: The Regulator's Dilemma 9-9
SCIENCE AND RARE EVENTS 10-10
"Scientific" Approaches to Rare Events 11-13
Low-Level Exposure 14-14
How Science Reacts to Intrinsic Uncertainty 15-16
THE ATTACK ON SCIENCE FROM THE SOCIOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE 17-18
Technological Fix 19-19
The De Minimis Principle 20-21
CONCLUSIONS 22-22
REFERENCES 23-23
Causality of a Given Cancer After Known Radiation Exposure 24-24
ACCIDENTAL HARM IN POPULATIONS OF EXPOSED PERSONS 25-25
QUANTAL RESPONSE IN A POPULATION OF HARMED PERSONS 26-27
RADIOTHERAHY OR ACCIDENTAL HIGH-LEVEL RADIATION EXPOSURE 28-28
LOW-LEVEL EXPOSURE OF NORMAL POPULATIONS 29-29
RADIOBIOLOGICAL RESPONSE FUNCTIONS 30-33
PROBABILITY OF CAUSATION IN CANCER CASES 34-40
References 41-43
Dealing With Uncertainty About Risk in Risk Management 44-45
Risk Assessment Policy 46-46
Is Conservatism Protective? 47-48
The Social Costs of Error 49-49
Resource Constraints and Risk Management 50-50
Risk Transfers 51-51
CONSERVATISM IN RISK ASSESSMENT: COMMENTS 52-52
DE MINIMIS RISK 53-54
De Minimis Risk and Conflicting Social Objectives 55-55
Individual Versus Societal Definition of De Minimis Risk 56-56
Applying the De Minimis Concept 57-57
References 58-59
Scientists, Engineers, and the Burdens of Occupational Exposure: The Case of the Lead Standard 60-60
BACKGROUND OF THE OSHA LEAD STANDARD 61-64
HEARINGS ON THE OSHA STANDARD: SCIENCE, POLITICS, AND THE CLASH OF INTERESTS 65-71
THE FINAL LEAD STANDARD 72-74
CONCLUSIONS 75-75
References 76-76
PART 2 EQUITY AND COMPENSATION 77-78
Hypersusceptibility to Occupational Hazards 79-79
HYPERSUSCEPTIBLE GROUPS 80-83
SCREENING AND MONITORING 84-86
FAIRNESS 87-87
References 88-88
The Bhopalization of American Tort Law 89-89
Bipolarity 90-91
Timeliness 92-94
The Driving Force 95-95
CAN THE LEGAL SYSTEM COPE? 96-96
Regressive Incentives 97-98
Kindling the Flames 99-99
The Writing on the Wall 100-100
Institutional Competence 101-102
Deferring to the Experts 103-104
Compensating Victims 105-106
PUBLIC RISKS AND POLITICAL LEGITIMACY 107-107
NOTES 108-109
References 110-110
THE PRINCIPLE OF FORESEEABILITY 111-111
Fire and Wind Cases 112-112
Product Liability Cases 113-113
THE PRINCIPLE OF JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY WITHOUT CONTRIBUTION 114-114
New Determinants of Duty 115-115
Mandatory Allocation of Damages Among Responsible Parties 116-116
References 117-117
Hazardous Waste Facility Siting: Community, Firm, and Governmental Perspectives 118-118
The Need for a Systems Approach 119-122
Risk Uncertainty 123-123
Public Perception of Risk 124-126
Equity and the Ethics of Risk Imposition 127-129
Institutional Distrust 130-130
Communicating Risk to the Public 131-131
Problem and Institutional Mismatch 132-132
Approach 1: Locational Opportunism 133-133
Approach 2: Imposition by Central Authority 134-134
Approach 3: Bartered Consent 135-136
Approach 4: Fairness-Centered Process 137-137
Conceptualizing the Siting Problem 138-138
An Ethical Base for Siting 139-139
Risk Reduction and Safety Assurance 140-140
The Role of Compensation 141-141
References 142-144
Hazard Compensation and Incentive Systems: An Economic Perspective 145-145
PROBLEM CHARACTERISTICS 146-147
DESIGNING INCENTIVE SYSTEMS FOR PROTECTIVE ACTIVITIES 148-149
Broadening the Time Horizon 150-150
Penalties and Fines 151-151
COMPENSATION IN SITING TECHNOLOGICAL FACILITIES 152-152
Wes-Con, Inc. 153-153
Wes-Con, Inc. 154-154
Self-Insurance Funds 155-155
Integrating Stakeholders and Stages 156-157
Eliciting Preferences for Communities 158-159
CONCLUSIONS 160-160
References 161-164
PART 3 MANAGING TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS 165-166
Economic, Legal, and Practical Problems in Hazardous Waste Cleanup and Management 167-167
HOW CLEAN IS CLEAN? 168-168
Harris Corporation 169-169
Sapp Battery Salvage 170-171
Jacksonville 172-172
Whitehouse Oil Pits 173-173
Tower Chemical 174-174
Liability Insurance 175-175
Cleanup Delays 176-176
Sovereign Immunity 177-177
PRACTICAL PROBLEMS 178-178
PROSPECTS FOR LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT 179-179
National Small-Quantity Generator Survey 180-180
Amnesty Days 181-181
The Case for Transfer Stations 182-182
Another Alternative: Incineration 183-183
CONCLUSION 184-184
Focusing Private-Sector Action on Public Hazards 185-186
CLEAN SITES INC.: GOALS AND ORGANIZATION 187-187
WHAT CAN CLEAN SITES INC. DO? 188-191
DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE 192-192
References 193-196
Three Mile Island and Bhopal: Lessons Learned and Not Learned 197-198
LESSONS FOR INDUSTRY 199-200
LESSONS FOR REGULATORS 201-202
THE PUBLIC 203-203
SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS 204-204
References 205-205
Managing Technological Hazards: Success, Strain, and Surprise 206-206
INSTITUTIONS OF HAZARD MANAGEMENT 207-208
THE PERSISTENCE OF SURPRISE 209-210
LIMITS TO HAZARD MANAGEMENT 211-211
TECHNOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL FIXES 212-216
SHIFTING ATTITUDES, INSTITUTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES 217-217
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 218-218
References 219-220
ABOUT THE AUTHORS 221-225

Log In

Former MyNAP users: You'll need to reset your password on your first login to MyAcademies. Click "Forgot password" below to receive a reset link via email. Having trouble? Visit our FAQ page to contact support.

Members of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, or National Academy of Medicine should log in through their respective Academy portals.

Email (required)
Password (required)

Don't have an account?

Register

Email (required)
New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters
I agree to receive emails from the National Academies
I accept the terms of use
terms of use

Thank You

Thank you for creating a MyAcademies account!

Enjoy free access to thousands of National Academies' publications, a 10% discount off every purchase, and build your personal library.

Forgot Password

Enter the email address for your MyAcademies (formerly MyNAP) account to receive password reset instructions.

Email (required)

Reset Requested

We sent password reset instructions to your email . Follow the link in that email to create a new password. Didn't receive it? Check your spam folder or contact us for assistance.

Reset Password

New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters

Reset Password

Your password has been reset.

Verify email

Verify Your Email Address

We sent a verification link to your email. Please check your inbox (and spam folder) and follow the link to verify your email address. If you did not receive the email, you can request a new verification link below

Hazards: Technology and Fairness (1986)

Chapter: THE PERSISTENCE OF SURPRISE

My Academies

Hazards: Technology and Fairness (1986)

Chapter: THE PERSISTENCE OF SURPRISE