Prevention and Transition

Abstract

Strategies to protect workers' health and the environment outside of the workplace, were, respectively, once based on the notion of control: a series of controls (engineering and administrative) in the workplace and emission controls to protect the public environment. Two parallel changes occurred. The first was a shift from the general principles of control to the notion of a hierarchy of control measures and the second was a recasting of the Hierarchy of Controls into what has been called a Hierarchy of Prevention and Controls. This article cites the Canadian experience to show that this twofold shift is a progressive and constructive move; the United States provides both the sources of the problem and some solutions. “Just Transition” for workers during environmental change was developed in the context of chemical bans and phase-outs. The concept is now much broader. The article argues that certain pollution prevention measures have been construed as an attack on workers' rights; but this problem can be resolved to the benefit of both workers' health and environmental protection. Explanation of the relation of pollution prevention to Just Transition is a part of the solution.