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OSHA is expanding who must comply with ergonomics standards. Chances are this will include you! If any of your employees use a personal computer, this may cost your company big dollars to comply. On November 23, 1999, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a new proposed standard on ergonomics in the Federal Register. The proposed standard was placed on a 'fast track' schedule, giving employers a limited opportunity to submit comments and attend hearings. The business community reacted with outrage regarding the scope of coverage and the escalated time frame in which to respond to such sweeping change. Under the proposed standard, virtually any business could be subject to its purview. Scope of the Proposed Ergonomics Standard The standard includes the following job classifications:
Note: OSHA intends to issue separate rules for construction, agriculture, and maritime employers at some later date. Elements of a Complete Ergonomics Program The following six elements comprise a full ergonomics program. Employers with manufacturing and manual handling positions must implement the first two criteria below even if no MSD has occurred in those jobs. Once a 'MSD' is reported in a general industry job, all six elements of the program must be put in place:
No Medical Consensus The Employer community, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has declared 'battle' on the implementation of such standards. The core objection of business is based upon the fact that there is no consensus regarding the causes and remedies for the general area of back, arm, neck and other MSD strains and aches, commonly referred to as "repetitive stress injuries' (RSI). According to the National Coalition on Ergonomics (NCE), an alliance of associations and businesses, the "only thing virtually all sides of the debate are able to agree on is that no one really knows. It remains a mystery at what point, if any, a job task can cause a disorder. How then can we mandate a "fix", if we don't even know which fixes would work?" The NCE suggests that leading medical experts assert that there are no conclusive studies demonstrating a causal relationship between specific work activities and RSI. (See: What Doctors Say about Ergonomics) In fact, NCE maintains that the exact opposite is true. It points to The Bureau of Labor Statistics 1998 Study concluding that repeated trauma injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, declined 24 percent since 1994 and make up only 4 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses. At the heart of this controversy is that fact that OSHA insists on proceeding with this proposed standard before the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has completed its study of the existing body of scientific and medical knowledge about ergonomics. The business community argues that until that time, the OSHA proposal has no adequate scientific or medical basis. To that end, the U.S. Chamber and National Coalition on Ergonomics have joined forces in supporting legislation that would require a finding by the National Academy of Sciences before the proposed standard may be implemented. H.R. 987 (Workplace Preservation Act) and S. 1070 (Sensible Ergonomics Needs Scientific Evidence - S.E.N.S.E.) have been introduced into Congress. H.R. 987 has passed the House and now awaits action in the Senate. How Much Does the Ergonomics Standard Cost? No one really knows. According to H.R. 987, OSHA estimates that implementing the ergonomics standard could cost as much as $20 billion. However, some estimates for a single industry range from $18 billion to $30 billion! The scope of the rules is huge - 27 million workers - and the cost in dispute. The Small Business Administration estimates an implementation cost of $18 billion. Food wholesalers alone say they face an initial cost of $26 billion to retrofit facilities with recurring annual costs of $6 billion. The Employment Policy Foundation found the cost to implement OSHA's proposed ergonomics rule could be as much as $100 billion! Tell Your Congressperson: I support H.R. 987 and S. 1070! OSHA Information Federal Register: Regulatory Text Federal Register: Regulatory Text and Supporting Documents Working Draft of Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions More Information about Ergonomics National Coalition on Ergonomics: Facts about Ergonomics National Coalition on Ergonomics: What's the Latest? Articles on Ergonomics Employment Policy Foundation: Ergonomics Regulation: Vague, Broad and Costly Employment Policy Foundation: Fact & Fallacy: OSHA's Ergonomics Rule Proposal Employers Pan Ergonomics Rules Tell us how this will impact your organization. |
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