Pelosi Announces OSHA Ergonomics Grant to California Labor Council
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) today announced a grant of $131,000 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, San Francisco to train 500 workers to avoid repetitive stress injuries.
The grant will allow the group to train union members as ergonomic trainers and assist them in conducting training sessions for their locals. Targeted locals include the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, the International Association of Machinists, the Communication Workers of America and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Repetitive stress injuries and other forms of musculoskeletal disorders remain one of the nation's most serious workplace problems, accounting for an estimated one-third of workers' compensation costs.
"America's workers deserve to work at their jobs without those jobs contributing to a lifetime of chronic pain and disability. Workers should be able to learn about cost-effective ergonomic solutions that can not only protect them but save their employers money in reduce workers' compensation costs." Pelosi said.
In 1996, Representative Pelosi sponsored a successful amendment to the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill which lifted a prohibition for OSHA to develop ergonomic standards designed to prevent repetitive stress injuries. Since the passage of the Pelosi amendment, OSHA has begun a number of activities to protect workers from repetitive stress injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. Today's awards are the first step in realizing stronger ergonomic protections for workers.
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