Technology, Law, and the Working Environment
Addresses relationship between technology-related problems and the law applicable to work environment. National Labor Relations Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act. Toxic Substances Control Act, state worker's compensation, and suits by workers in the courts discussed. Problems related to occupational health and safety, collective bargaining as a mechanism for altering technology in the workplace, job alienation, productivity, and the organization of work addressed. Prior courses or experience in the environmental, public health, or law-related areas.
Spring 2006
Topics
- The Nature of the Harm and Options for Regulatory Intervention
- Administrative Law
- Risk Assessment
- Regulation of Labor-Management Relations Under the NLRA
- Toxics Information Transfer in the Workplace
- Economic Issues in Occupational Health and Safety
- Retaliatory Employment Practices
- The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
- The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
- Biotechnology: Biogenetic Monitoring
- Consumer and Workplace Products
- Compensation for Exposure to Toxic Substances
- Pollution Prevention/Toxics Use Reduction and Primary Accident Prevention
Readings
- Chapters in a published textbook, referred to as ‘ Text ’ which is Ashford, Nicholas A., and Charles C. Caldart. Technology, Law and the Working Environment . Revised ed. Washington, DC: Island Press, 1996. ISBN: 9781559634465.
- ‘ Galleys ’ from chapters in a soon-to-be-published textbook by Ashford, Nicholas A., and Charles C. Caldart. Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics . (Forthcoming 2007)
- SES #: 1 · Topics: The Nature of the Harm and Options for Regulatory Intervention · READINGS: Galleys of “Nature and Assessment of the Harm.” Chapter 2 in Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics . Forthcoming 2007. Read sections A through C.
- SES #: 2 · Topics: Administrative Law · READINGS: Text: Chapter 2, plus section I.C. of the Hodgson case in Chapter 3, pp. 107-110.
- SES #: 3 · Topics: Risk Assessment · READINGS: Galleys: Chapter 2. Read sections D and E.
- SES #: 4 · Topics: Regulation of Labor-Management Relations Under the NLRA · READINGS: Text: Chapter 6.
- SES #: 5 · Topics: Toxics Information Transfer in the Workplace · READINGS: Text: Chapter 7.
- SES #: 6 · Topics: Economic Issues in Occupational Health and Safety · READINGS: Text: Chapter 5.
- SES #: 7 · Topics: Retaliatory Employment Practices · READINGS: Text: Chapter 8.
- SES #: 8 · Topics: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 · READINGS: Text: Chapter 3, pp. 91-147, 160-173, and 183-191. Also read Sections 1 through 6, 11, and 13 of the OSHAct.
- SES #: 9 · Topics: The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 · READINGS: Text: Chapter 4, pp. 193-228. Also read Sections 1 through 7, and 19 through 21, of TSCA.
- SES #: 10 · Topics: Biotechnology: Biogenetic Monitoring · READINGS: Text: “Exclusion from The Workplace Because of Presumed Sensitivity To Workplace Hazards.” Chapter 8, pp. 425-446.
- SES #: 11 · Topics: Consumer and Workplace Products · READINGS: Text: “Suits Against Manufacturers.” Chapter 9, pp. 469-478 and “Indoor Air.” Chapter 10, pp. 528-530.
- SES #: 12 · Topics: Compensation for Exposure to Toxic Substances · READINGS: Text: Chapter 9, pp. 447-469 and 478-500.
- SES #: 13 · Topics: Pollution Prevention/Toxics Use Reduction and Primary Accident Prevention · READINGS: Galleys: Chapter 12.
Prerequisites & course information
Same subject as 10.805[J] Subject meets with 1.802[J] , 1.812[J] , 11.022[J] , 11.631[J] , IDS.061[J] , IDS.541[J] Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department 3-0-6 units
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2006
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.