Benzene, Leukemia, and the Supreme Court

OSHA must regulate toxic Chemicals while constantly facing lawsuits challenging the legality or wisdom of its decisions. In July 1980, the Supreme Court struck down a proposed OSHA standard limiting benzene exposure to 1 ppm for an eight-hour workshift. The court ruled, 5-4, that OSHA must establish a "significant risk" of exposure before reducing a current standard. Scientific studies showing benzene to be a suspected carcinogen are outlined.