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After Year-Long Fight, Ergonomics Rule to Become Law
After a year of debate, modifications and threats from Republicans and business groups to block it, the workplace ergonomics standard proposed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is set to become law in January.
CWA and other labor unions - backed by medical researchers - fought hard for the rule, which is expected to prevent hundreds of thousands of disabling repetitive motion injuries a year. Doing so, will save businesses $9.1 billion annually in workers' compensation and related expenses, OSHA says.
"We applaud OSHA for taking action that will spare thousands of people from crippling musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen.
The final standard isn't as strong as the rule originally proposed by OSHA, which business and industry groups tried to kill altogether. Still, Peg Seminario, the AFL-CIO's safety and health director, said the standard is OSHA's most important act since the agency was created in 1970. "It is long overdue," she said.
At least 1.8 million people suffer repetitive stress injuries every year and a third of them, about 600,000, require time away from work to heal, according to OSHA.
Although unions are pleased by the rule's publication, the AFL-CIO, UNITE, the Steelworkers and Teamsters have filed lawsuits seeking to strengthen it, concerned that it doesn't do enough to prevent injuries. In most cases, businesses aren't required to make changes until at least one worker is hurt. Dave LeGrande, CWA occupational safety and health director, said CWA supports the lawsuits and will be considering "friend of the court" briefs.
Business and industry groups are filing suits, too, but they hope to kill the rule outright.
The rule covers more than 100 million workers and 6.1 million work sites, from manufacturing plants to offices, hospitals and stores. It calls for employers to train workers about repetitive motion disorders and risk factors, and ensure that workers know how to report ergonomic problems at work.
Once problems are reported and diagnosed, employers can be required to make changes in work areas, from better chairs and keyboards to altering assembly lines so workers don't have to reach as far or as high.
Injured employees can receive medical care and paid leave for up to 90 days, half the time OSHA proposed initially.
Opponents, who claim the standard will cost businesses billions more than they will save, bitterly dispute 20 years' worth of research showing a clear link between workplace repetitive motion and musculoskeletal disorders.
The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 13. To read it and background material, go to www.osha.gov.
CWA and other labor unions - backed by medical researchers - fought hard for the rule, which is expected to prevent hundreds of thousands of disabling repetitive motion injuries a year. Doing so, will save businesses $9.1 billion annually in workers' compensation and related expenses, OSHA says.
"We applaud OSHA for taking action that will spare thousands of people from crippling musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen.
The final standard isn't as strong as the rule originally proposed by OSHA, which business and industry groups tried to kill altogether. Still, Peg Seminario, the AFL-CIO's safety and health director, said the standard is OSHA's most important act since the agency was created in 1970. "It is long overdue," she said.
At least 1.8 million people suffer repetitive stress injuries every year and a third of them, about 600,000, require time away from work to heal, according to OSHA.
Although unions are pleased by the rule's publication, the AFL-CIO, UNITE, the Steelworkers and Teamsters have filed lawsuits seeking to strengthen it, concerned that it doesn't do enough to prevent injuries. In most cases, businesses aren't required to make changes until at least one worker is hurt. Dave LeGrande, CWA occupational safety and health director, said CWA supports the lawsuits and will be considering "friend of the court" briefs.
Business and industry groups are filing suits, too, but they hope to kill the rule outright.
The rule covers more than 100 million workers and 6.1 million work sites, from manufacturing plants to offices, hospitals and stores. It calls for employers to train workers about repetitive motion disorders and risk factors, and ensure that workers know how to report ergonomic problems at work.
Once problems are reported and diagnosed, employers can be required to make changes in work areas, from better chairs and keyboards to altering assembly lines so workers don't have to reach as far or as high.
Injured employees can receive medical care and paid leave for up to 90 days, half the time OSHA proposed initially.
Opponents, who claim the standard will cost businesses billions more than they will save, bitterly dispute 20 years' worth of research showing a clear link between workplace repetitive motion and musculoskeletal disorders.
The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 13. To read it and background material, go to www.osha.gov.