Sterling T D
Int J Health Serv. 1980;10(1):37-46. doi: 10.2190/TEDB-E2YU-5CQQ-01NR.
The 15-year history of a study on the health effects of low-dose radiation on workers at the Hanford Atomic Plant in Washington State demonstrates different facets of political control by employers over investigations of employee working conditions. Evidence obtained through the Freedom of Information Act shows that the original study, under the guidance of Dr. Thomas Mancuso, an experienced and respected occupational health epidemiologist, wah proof to employees that their exposure levels were safe. When it turned out that the study might show an increase in cancer rates among plant employees, its control was transferred to the employer. Public reports by scientists working for the employer are at variance with independent analyses of the same data. Lessons from these events are that it may be necessary for organized labor to negotiate the conduct of occupational health investigations as part of negotiated settlements and for legal means to be developed to make health scientists accountable for actions that influence public health policies.
一项针对华盛顿州汉福德原子工厂工人低剂量辐射对健康影响的研究长达15年的历史，展现了雇主对员工工作条件调查进行政治控制的不同方面。通过《信息自由法》获得的证据表明，在经验丰富且受人尊敬的职业健康流行病学家托马斯·曼库索博士的指导下，最初的研究向员工证明了他们的暴露水平是安全的。当研究结果可能显示工厂员工癌症发病率上升时，其控制权被移交给了雇主。为雇主工作的科学家发布的公开报告与对相同数据的独立分析存在差异。这些事件带来的教训是，有组织的劳工可能有必要将职业健康调查的开展作为协商解决方案的一部分进行谈判，并且需要制定法律手段，使健康科学家对影响公共卫生政策的行为负责。
