Question !!

In this discussion you will be exploring how economics impacts work health and safety.

1. In your initial post pose your one best question after viewing and reading the Week 6 presentation, articles and the TEDTalk.

2. Using credible, relevant sources (course material, outside sources, and personal experience) to support your opinion, address one of the questions below in your initial post:

• Do you think that risky jobs are freely chosen by workers? Please explain.

OR

• Does the free-market theory of compensating wage differentials work? Please explain.

3. In addition, you should provide a short critique of the TEDTalk “Addicted to Risk” and Klein’s explanation of the Precautionary Principle.

Read

• Danielle Ivory & Barry Meier. (June 5, 2017) Under Trump Worker Protections are Viewed with New Skepticism (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. New York Times.
• Levenstein, C. and Dunn, M. 2005. Show me the money: Cost-benefit analysis in the work environment. New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Policy.

• Rosner, D. 2000. When does a worker’s death become a murder? American Journal of Public Health.

• Dorman, P. (2000) The economics of safety, health, and well-being at work: An overview. InFocus Program on SafeWork, International Labour Organization. Note: this is a lengthy, rather dense article. You don’t have to read it! I included it here as a resource for students of Labor Studies or Human Resources. You may find it a useful in future courses.

View the video

Naomi Klein a Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalization and of capitalism.

In 2016 Klein was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize for her activism on climate justice. Klein frequently appears on global and national lists of top influential thinkers, including the 2014 Thought Leaders ranking compiled by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute,Prospect magazine’s world thinkers 2014 poll and Maclean’s 2014 Power List. She is a member of the board of directors of the climate activist group 350.org. Although the focus of her TEDTalk is risk taking and the environment, the principles she presents are applicable to occupational safety and health. Take note of Klein’s explanation and application of the Precautionary Principle.

If you have a hard time playing the video below, just type the name of it in YouTube search and it will come up.

TEDTalk. (2011) Naomi Klein: Addicted to Risk. (20:19)