Every year, approximately 650,000 Americans get hurt on the job--not from accidents and related hazards--but from the simple physical demands of their work. Workers who have to constantly repeat the same motion, stand or sit in an awkward position, or repeatedly lift heavy objects are most likely to develop injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and back pain.
And yet, experts in ergonomics--the science of physically matching the job to the worker--say that most of these injuries can be prevented, saving businesses $15-20 billion a year in workers compensation costs and perhaps another $45-60 billion in indirect health care costs.
A week ago, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it was moving toward establishing ergonomics standards for jobs in general industry, covering some 25 million workers in baking, sewing, meatpacking and package handling or on assembly lines. People who work at keyboards could be affected as well. Employers would be required to create a process for workers to report hazards and assist in finding solutions.
It is safe to predict that this will be one of the hottest issues in Congress this year. Expect a lot of sore wrists and twisted arms--not from repetitive stress, but from repetitive campaign contributions.
For years, business groups, working with congressional allies like Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX), have successfully attached riders to legislation blocking OSHA from addressing ergonomics, but the last of those riders expired in October. Now they are gearing up once again to derail OSHA's new initiative, led by the National Coalition on Ergonomics (NCE). Though the NCE claims support from 300 groups, it has only made public a list of 47 member organizations, including huge PACs like the National Association of Home Builders and the National Beer Wholesalers Association. In all, these 47 groups gave a whopping $8.2 million in PAC money to congressional candidates in 1997-98, eighty-five percent to Republicans.
According to the Washington Post, "lobbyists are trying to persuade Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) [who has received at least $25,000 from NCE members] to introduce legislation that again would stop OSHA from proceeding." Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-NC, $16,500 from NCE), a key subcommittee chairman, has already announced his opposition. In the past he has pushed legislation to require more scientific study of the issue, and to protect businesses from liability for their own voluntary inspections. In addition, Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY, $2,000) and Judd Gregg (R-NH, $52,000), along with Rep. James Talent (R-MO, $37,500), have sponsored broader legislation that would further weaken OSHA's authority, even allowing companies to conduct their own workplace safety inspections by hiring private consultants. Rep. Bonilla has received at least $25,000 from NCE members.
