For the fifth year in a row, business groups and their conservative Republican allies in Congress have launched a major attack on ergonomic protections. This is part of an overall unrelenting attack on worker safety and health in which blocking OSHA's ergonomics standard is an industry priority. This bill not only will block OSHA from issuing an ergonomics standard, but will even prevent OSHA from issuing voluntary guidelines for at least 24 months, until a second National Academy of Sciences study is complete. Contrary to claims of those leading the attack, a large body of scientific evidence shows that workplace factors cause musculoskeletal disorders and that these injuries can be prevented.
Ergonomic hazards are still the nation's number one occupational safety and health problem.
In 1997 alone, more than 600,000 workers suffered injuries as a result of ergonomic hazards in the workplace. These injuries are painful and crippling and leave many unable to work or live a normal life. Until employers are required to take action, hundreds of thousands of workers will continue to be injured. It is vital that OSHA be allowed to move forward now to issue an ergonomics standard to protect workers. S.1070 is likely to be taken up immediately upon the conclusion of the congressional recess, which ends Sept. 6.