The Right to Refuse Dangerous Work

Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta - CPLEA
Abstract
Most jobs have some element of danger in them. At a minimal level, the danger associated with our employment does not go much beyond the regular hazards of being alive, such as getting to and from work every day, the stress of working with difficult people, or the infinitesimally small chance of having a meteor or airplane crash through our building. There is interest in the growing field of occupational disease, where certain occupations may be exposed to contaminants or conditions that cumulatively and slowly manifest themselves in the workers over time. Examples include firefighters inhaling toxins, professional drivers and diesel fumes, office workers and repetitive strains, and soldiers who later suffer post-traumatic stress syndrome. In this article we address acute, serious, imminent dangers encountered in performing one’s job at work.
Description
Author has retained copyright of article. Article was deposited after permission was granted by CPLEA 03/04/2015
Keywords
Occupational health and safety, legal obligation
Citation
Peter Bowal and Aleksandar Gvozdenovic, “The Right to Refuse Dangerous Work,” (2015) 39:3 LawNow http://www.lawnow.org/right-refuse-dangerous-work