PMI POSITION STATEMENT
ON OSHA'S ERGONOMICS STANDARD
Issue:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), based on statistics regarding musculoskeletal injuries, issued on November 14, 2000 a final rule putting in place a national ergonomics program to address these injuries.
Congress passed S.J. Res. 6 in March, 2001, disapproving of the ergonomics rule and providing that it would have no force or effect. In signing the resolution, President Bush noted that the rule would have had large costs with uncertain benefits, but pledged to pursue with business and labor interests "a comprehensive approach to ergonomics that addresses the concerns surrounding the [repealed] ergonomics rule."
In March, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao announced principles for an approach on ergonomics that emphasizes injury reduction, injury prevention and clarity. Secretary Chao has actively gathered input by holding a series of public forums in July. OSHA plans to review all the information collected during the forums and comment period (which officially closed August 3), along with other information and will soon develop a comprehensive plan for addressing ergonomics complaints in the workplace.
Position:
The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI) supports regulations which make the American worker and the workplace more efficient and which control costs such as worker's compensation expense. PMI also believes that benefits must justify the costs should OSHA determine to adopt a new ergonomics rule.
Revision of original statement adopted in February 1997