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WASHINGTON - Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced today
that she would convene three national public forums on the issue of ergonomics
safety in the workplace and that she will identify a final course of action on
the issue by September.
"We are bringing everyone to the table to get this
important issue moving forward and resolved," Chao said. "Defining the best
approach for ergonomic injuries is not a simple process and we need
everyone’s voice heard in the process."
"Guiding principles will provide a vital starting point for
evaluating the issue and a point from which we can decide a final course of
action."
The forums will be held in Washington, D.C. on July 16,
Illinois on July 20, and California on July 24, 2001. Members of the public may
speak at a forum or submit written comments. An administrative law judge will
run the forums, though the secretary and other senior Department officials will
participate in portions of the forums.
Congress passed, and on March 20, 2001 the president
signed, a Joint Resolution of Disapproval of OSHA’s previous ergonomics
standard. At that time, Chao said that her intent was to "listen to all sides
on this issue: unions, Congress, business and safety and science
professionals." In subsequent testimony before Congress, Chao identified the
following set of principles that the Department of Labor will use as a starting
point for creating a new ergonomics approach:
· Prevention: The approach should place greater emphasis
on preventing injuries before they occur.
· Sound Science:
The approach should be based on the best available science and research.
· Incentive Driven: The approach should focus on cooperation
between OSHA and employers.
· Flexibility: The approach
should take account of the varying capabilities and characteristics of
different businesses.
· Feasibility: Future actions must
recognize the costs of compliance to small businesses.
·
Clarity: Any approach must include short, simple and common sense
instructions.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were
582,300 musculoskeletal injuries that resulted in employees missing time from
work in 1999, the last year for which statistics are available. That was down
from 1998 figures, which showed 592,500 such injuries and down from more than
763,000 in 1993.
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