Right to Information

Workers have a right-to-know. This means that the employer must establish a written, comprehensive hazard communication program, which includes provisions for container labeling, MSDSs, and an anployee training program. The program must include 

Workers have the right to information regarding the hazards to which they are or will be exposed. They have the right to review plans such as the hazard communication plan. They have a right to see a copy of an MSDS during their shift and receive a copy of an MSDS when requested. In addition, information on hazards that may be brought to the workplace by another employer should be available to workers. Other forms of information such as exposure records, medical records, etc., are to be made available to workers upon request. 

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The Supreme Court has recognized a constitutional right to bodily integrity that includes the right of a person to make voluntary and informed decisions about medical treatment." The government s concept of compassionate coercion appears to turn upside-down the individual s right to informed consent. All fifty states have laws that protect informed consent. These laws require that before performing medical procedures or treatments, medical personnel must make certain disclosures to patients and obtain the patient s consent." ... 

United States Pharmacopeia. USP recommends Children and adolescents have a right to information and direct communications about medicines. Available at www.usp/ org/aboutusp/reloascs/pr 9819.htm. Accessed May 8, 2000. 

The Right to Treatment Information. The patient has a right to informed participation in all decisions. .. the risks and serious complications. .. the diagnosis and prognosis. .. the implications of personal genomic and expression array data, ... the existence of any research protocols which are relevant. ... 

The first right makes the IT contribution particularly clear, even though it is not (typically) with regard to an emergency situation. The patient has the right to informed participation in all decisions affecting him or her and to obtain all information about all medical treatments and their alternatives, and the qualitative appraisal of the probabilities of all the risks and benefits, including the success statistics of those medical staff involved in the treatment. 

An employer must be in possession of a risk assessment and has to keep records of accidents. Workers have the right to information and consultation by the employer on issues regarding safety at the workplace, i.e. measures or training. 

Further provisions of the directive address the right to information, consultation, and participation of workers or their representatives, and additional obligations of the employers in relation to state authorities. The discussion of details would be outside the scope of this book. 

Individual workers have the right to information concerning their radiation exposures, and directly related supporting data, under several provisions of Section 19.13 ... 

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