Guy Fragala, PhD on ergonomic programs OSHA Press Conference November 22 1999

Dr. Fragala spoke at the OSHA’s press conference announcing the Agency’s draft ergonomic standard on November 22, 1999, with Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman and Charles Jeffress, assistant secretary for OSHA and others. The purpose of the proposed standard was to reduce the number and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) experience by employees. Under the standard, employers would be responsible for taking measures to reduce work-related problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back strains. In 1990, then Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole declared ergonomics an issue that OSHA must address. In November 1999, after almost 10 years research, discussion, and compromise, OSHA published its proposed ergonomics standard and in March-May 2000 held weeks of public hearings in Washington, DC, and hearings in Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois. Both supporters and opponents of the standard had an opportunity to voice their opinions and submit evidence to the docket. OSHA issued its ergonomics standard in November 2000. The rule was expected to protect 27 million workers at 1.9 million workplaces from repetitive motion injuries and illnesses. However, two months later, using the little known and never before used Congressional Review Act, a business friendly Congress voted to repeal the ergonomics standard. On March 20, 2001, President George W. Bush signed the legislation that did away with the ergonomics standard, leaving thousands of workers at risk of musculoskeletal disorders. It took Congress only hours of consideration to undo the work of over ten years to get an ergonomics standard. The CRA prohibits OSHA from issuing a new standard in “substantially the same form.” Since the repeal of ergonomics standard, more than 500,000 workers have suffered unnecessarily — every 18 seconds, a worker gets a musculoskeletal disorder. OSHA issued the first citation for ergonomic hazards in 1987 at an automobile manufacturing plant, under the General Duty Clause. Similar citations at other auto plants resulted in several multi-million dollar settlements, prompting agreements between OSHA, the United Auto Workers (UAW), and each of the Big Three automakers to begin ergonomics programs. Similarly, OSHA cited many members of the meatpacking industry. In 1990 the agency published a set of ergonomics guidelines for the red meatpacking industry and has been working with several companies to reduce work-related MSDs. Throughout the 1990s, OSHA attempted to use its previous experience to develop ergonomics standards for general industry. After an effort by OSHA to produce a regulation in the early 1990s, Congress voted to cut funding for the program in 1995. This prevented any further research on ergonomics until the funding was restored in 1996.