[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           OSHA ERGO-NONSENSE

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                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 15, 2000

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member highly commends this December 
14, 2000, editorial from the Norfolk Daily News expressing strong 
concern regarding the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
(OSHA) regulation on ergonomics.

                             Ergo-nonsense


     New OSHA workplace regulation isn't based on a completed study

       The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
     calls its new regulation the ``Ergonomics Program Standard.'' 
     The National Federation of Independent Businesses has a 
     different description: ``Ergo-nonsense.''
       ``Scheduled to take effect on Jan. 16, 2001, it is, without 
     question, the most burdensome, expensive and intrusive 
     regulation ever to be imposed on the small-business 
     community,'' said Jack Faris, federation president.
       We would have to agree. Ostensibly designed to help prevent 
     repetitive motion injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome, the 
     new regulation will require employers to alter the workplace 
     in order to do so. It's a noble intent.
       But the regulation assumes that employers aren't already 
     doing everything possible to take care of the health and 
     well-being of employees. The regulation also doesn't have a 
     scientific basis, seeing as how the National Academy of 
     Science's study on ergonomics isn't even completed yet.
       It's also curious how this 1,688-page regulation was able 
     to be introduced and published in about a year's time, when, 
     on average, it takes OSHA four years to do so with other 
     regulations.
       Because President Clinton allowed the regulation to move 
     forward, it now will take legal action to stop it. That's not 
     a sure thing, so business owners everywhere had better start 
     preparing for their own version of ``ergo-nonsense.''

     

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