Conservative Republicans and Industry Groups Renew the Attack on Ergonomics
Conservative Republicans and industry groups led by UPS are renewing their efforts to stop OSHA from issuing a rule to protect workers from ergonomic hazards. When the Senate Appropriations Committee meets on September 1st and 3rd to consider the Labor-Health and Human Services funding bill, conservative Senate Republicans are expected to introduce an amendment to prohibit OSHA from issuing a proposed or final ergonomics rule for another year. It is also possible that they may propose an amendment to require yet another National Academy of Sciences study on the scientific basis of ergonomics, similar to a measure included in the House FY 99 Labor-HHS funding bill.
Either of these amendments is a bad idea that will delay necessary safeguards to protect workers from ergonomic hazards and should be opposed. Here's why:
- Musculoskeletal injuries remain the single biggest safety and health problem in the workplace today. In 1996, according there were 600,400 serious injuries caused by repetitive motion and over-exertion accounting for nearly one-third of all workplace injuries (BLS). The cost of these injuries is enormous estimated at more than $20 billion a year.
- Experience has demonstrated that ergonomic hazards can be controlled and musculoskeletal disorders prevented, reducing the pain and suffering for workers and the compensation costs and productivity losses for employers. For example, a Chrysler assembly plant that implemented a joint labor-management ergonomics program reported an 80 percent drop in lost time injuries (Occupational Hazards, October 1994). The 3M Company saw a 70 percent decrease in musculoskeletal disorders the last eight years following the implementation of an ergonomics program (NAS Workshop on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries, August 1998).
- A 1997 GAO study on private sector ergonomics program found that through the implementation of work place ergonomics program "employers can reduce costs and injuries and thereby, improve employer health and morale, as well as productivity and product quality. [T]hese efforts do not necessarily have to involve safety or complicated processes or controls." (GAO Report GAO/HEHS-97-163, Worker Protection, Private Sector Ergonomics Programs Yield Positive Results, August 1997.)
- There is a solid body of scientific evidence that demonstrates that workplace factors like heavy lifting, repetitive and awkward positions cause musculoskeletal disorders. In response to a 1997 request from Reps. Bonilla and Livingston, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is in the process of conducting a major review of the scientific evidence on musculoskeletal disorders. On August 20–21, 1998, the NAS held a workshop of more than 75 leading scientific experts to review the scientific data on the causes of and methods to prevent these disorders. The public record from the meeting shows that the majority of experts at the meeting support the view that there is adequate scientific evidence showing workplace factors cause musculoskeletal disorders and public health measures, like an OSHA standard, are needed to prevent these injuries.
- The current NAS review is costing $490,000. The proposal for a further two year $890,000 NAS study of the exact same information is a waste of taxpayers' money and is being proposed by opponents of an ergonomics standard to further delay protections. This money is much better spent on efforts to protect workers.
- It's time to stop the attack on workers' safety and health and move forward and protect workers. OSHA should be allowed to do its job and proceed with a standard on ergonomics through its normal rulemaking process that will allow all interest practices to present their views, opinions and evidence.
Please contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and urge them to vote no on any amendments to prohibit OSHA from moving forward with an ergonomics standard or to require another NAS review of the current scientific evidence on ergonomics. The key members of the Appropriations Committee that should be contacted are: Sens. Hollings(D-S.C.), Bumpers(D-Ark.), Reid(D-N.V.), Stevens(R-Alaska) and Campbell(R-Colo.).
For more information, contact the AFL-CIO Department of Safety and Health(202-637-5366) or Department of Legislation (202-637-5084).
