Scientists Lack Safety Rights

A recent Washington Examiner post says that"More than 500,000 work in laboratories across the United States, and scientists say it is vital to take steps to protect themselves from the diseases they are studying."  The article goes on to say that  it is estimated that 3 out of 1000 lab workers acquire work-related infections. 

The article, however, does not comment on the overwhelming number of scientists that get infected from work from a non-determined exposure and are consequently prevented to correlate it with their work environment due to a lack of scientist rights.

The problem is that scientists do not have the legal rights nor union rights to ensure a safe workplace or to protect the public from negligent release of bio agents.  The majority of injured scientists who fall ill from exposures at work are kicked to the curb with no avenue for directed medical care.  They become a countless statistic. 

No federal agency, including OSHA has any real jurisdiction over the majority of biotech labs to protect the worker or the public.

The lack of rights to workers is a major problem.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/03/scientists-say-laboratory-workers-must-be-diligent