3 
Presentation by OSHA and NIOSH 
Dr. Bingham said that by law the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration must respond to workers' corapla-ints of an unsafe 
workplace, whether it involves a faulty crane or a biohazard. OSHA 
looks to NIOSH for recommendations as to whether or not a standard 
is necessary. There is a level of concern about recombinant DNA, 
and it would be remiss of the Federal Government to allow hysteria 
to develop among workers when this can be headed off by responsible 
Government action. 
Dr. Robbins said that NIOSH has not yet had time to firmly 
establish its position with regard to occupational health in 
industrial uses of recombinant DNA. When looking at a new area, in 
deciding whether to recommend to OSHA that they act, NIOSH takes 
into account: 
o data on toxicity 
o the potential number of exposed workers 
o the potential level of exposure to the worker 
o the likelihood of a standard achieving a 
beneficial effect 
NIOSH has a right of entry and, by visits to industry, can 
examine industrial hygiene and how exposures might occur. Based on 
submissions industry has already made to NIH, NIOSH can look at the 
current technology for minimizing exposure to workers — "control 
technology assessment." NIOSH would like to consider developing 
ways to increase worker understanding of recombinant DNA 
technology. in the case of recombinant DNA, the newness of the 
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