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Copyright 2000 Phoenix Newspapers, Inc.  
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC

November 19, 2000 Sunday, Final Chaser

SECTION: BUSINESS & MONEY; Pg. D1

LENGTH: 919 words

HEADLINE: NEW WORKPLACE RULES CAUSE STIR

BYLINE: By Hal Mattern, The Arizona Republic

BODY:
Jeff Petersen knows plenty of people whose jobs are literally a pain in the neck.

As a Mesa physical therapist and ergonomics specialist, Petersen treats patients who suffer from one of a number of job-related ailments that fall under the category of musculoskeletal disorders, which include back, shoulder and neck pain, tendinitis and carpal-tunnel syndrome.

"I see a lot of work-related ... injuries," he said, "and most of them are preventable."

The federal government agrees. Last week, after 10 years of effort, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued new ergonomic regulations that are designed to nudge companies into action when their employees complain of musculoskeletal disorders.

The regulations, which already are the target of lawsuits from business groups, would require employers in most industries to provide their employees with basic information about such disorders, what causes them and how to report them. The companies would have to take action, such as changing a workspace, only if an employee reports a job-related disorder.

The regulations, which don't apply to the construction, maritime, agricultural or railroad industries, take effect Jan. 17. Businesses have until next October to fully comply.

Labor groups have been pushing for such regulations for the past decade, saying that ergonomic hazards have become the No. 1 job-safety problem in America. They contend that injuries and illnesses related to ergonomic problems cost companies billions of dollars a year in lost work time.

"We've got lots of people out there who have hurt themselves but they don't know how," said Chuck Huggins, secretary-treasurer of the Arizona chapter of the AFL-CIO, the massive labor organization that has led the charge for the ergonomic regulations.

At the same time, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of businesses led by the National Association of Manufacturers have sued to block the regulations, saying they are unnecessary.

"Most companies have been doing this all along," said Judith Allen, president and chief executive officer of the Arizona Association of Industries, which is a member of the manufacturers association. "Companies have been playing close attention to health and safety issues."

The debate focuses on musculoskeletal disorders that generally are attributed to a combination of awkward work positions and repetitive tasks. Such injuries totaled about 65,000 nationwide in 1998, the last year for which statistics are available. But the number increases dramatically when back injuries are included.

Repetitive-motion injuries have been around for years, mainly affecting assembly-line workers who twist the same bolts on widgets hour after hour, day after day.

It wasn't until the 1980s, when computer use became widespread in the American workplace, that industry took notice of such disorders. Toiling for hours at keyboards, telephones cradled on slouched shoulders, proved to be ergonomically incorrect. A rash of ailments such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome appeared.

That spawned a whole new area of research into ergonomics, the study of how to adapt work conditions and equipment to the physical capacity of workers. Major American companies responded by implementing programs designed to prevent their employees from contracting repetitive motion ailments. The automobile industry, for example, has set ergonomic standards for its assembly-line workers that exceed the OSHA rules.

As a result, repetitive-stress injuries declined in recent years, as have all workplace injuries.

"I think there is more awareness of the problem," said Gary Orr, an ergonomist with OSHA who helped develop the new regulations. "People are more concerned about health and safety in general, and businesses are more responsive to workplace injuries. They recognize the huge costs involved."

Even though about 40 percent of the nation's employers already address ergonomic issues, most small and medium companies don't, Orr said. That's why the new guidelines emerged.

"These regulations sort of set a floor," he said. "I think they are very flexible, and serve as a framework for what some companies already are doing."

OSHA economists estimate the regulations will cost businesses $4.5 billion a year, but will result in $9.1 billion in savings from reduced workers' compensation and medical costs. But the nation's business community, which has been fighting the regulations for years, contends the costs will be much higher.

Orr said companies wouldn't have to change existing programs if they meet the new standards.

Small businesses are even more concerned about the regulations, which they say are heavy-handed.

Kim Bosgraaf of the National Federation of Independent Businesses said many employees of small businesses are family members, relatives or friends.

"The owners have a vested interest in their health, so they are likely to address problems right away," Bosgraaf said. "This could result in a wave of questionable claims and an incredible number of lawsuits."

Dr. Laura Welch, director of occupational and environmental medicine at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., said the new regulations could result in an increase in the number of repetitive motion injuries reported.

"But it's not just how many, but their cost," said Welch, who has testified before Congress on the issue. "We might see more injuries reported, but they will be caught early so the cost will go down."



GRAPHIC: Chart; Ergonomic changes
 
Workplace risk factors affected by new ergonomics regulations:
   * Forcible exertion.
   * Awkward posture.
   * Repetitive motion.
   * Vibration.
   * Contact stress.

LOAD-DATE: December 10, 2000




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