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