U.S. Chamber Says Block Ergonomics Policy Until Scientific Study Completed

WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today said Congress should block the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from moving forward on costly, new ergonomics regulations until a major scientific study is completed.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday on the Chamber-backed "Workplace Preservation Act" (HR 987) sponsored by Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO). It would require OSHA to wait for the results of a National Academy of Sciences ergonomics study before forcing business to comply with a costly, national ergonomics standard. This study was specifically funded by Congress in last year's bipartisan budget bill. The NAS is only four months into its study, which is expected to take up to two years to complete – yet OSHA already has drafted a set of regulations.

"It's time for Congress to rein in OSHA's over-zealous behavior on ergonomics," said Randel Johnson, the Chamber's Vice-President for Labor Policy. "Drafting a policy without waiting for the completed study shows how little sound science seems to matter to OSHA when it comes to regulating. That's wrong."

OSHA defines ergonomics as the "science of fitting jobs to people" and the agency has repeatedly sought to apply the theory – dismissed by many in the medical community, workplace safety experts, and scientists – to job sites in almost every industry and companies of all sizes.

The Chamber has been critical of OSHA's proposed regulations, which would "force businesses to becomes experts on ergonomics, a field in which there is little scientific consensus," said Johnson. "Compliance costs – both in time and money – would hurt all private companies but particularly devastate small businesses.

"Surely, OSHA should wait until a study – paid for by Congress – is completed before the agency proceeds to rulemaking," he added.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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