House Bill 5447

Michigan Republicans Prepare to Fight Ergonomics Standard

Republicans in the Michigan Legislature are planning to pass legislation that would prevent the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) from promulgating a new statewide ergonomics standard to prevent repetitive motion injuries in the workplace. Republican leadership in both the Senate and the House have said it will be a top priority for the new legislative session. Workers in this state need an ergonomics standard to prevent crippling repetitive motion injuries -- in fact, its’ the state’s biggest job safety problem. MIOSHA estimates that 50% of all worker compensation claims are from strains, sprains and repetitive motion injuries. Surgery often results from repeated instances of these painful conditions.

In addition to the human costs, these injuries are a tremendous drain on the economy. On a national level, it has been conservatively estimated by OSHA that ergonomic injuries are costing our economy more that $50 billion annually. [...]

Michigan workers are suffering from preventable injuries that are costing employers million in workers’ compensation and lost time costs. Something must be done to prevent these injuries. That’s why the Ergonomic Standards Advisory Committee must be allowed to complete their work and see if a new ergonomics standard can be developed. MIOSHA established an Ergonomics Standard Advisory Committee that is made up of equal representation from business and labor to see if a state ergonomics standard could be drafted. The advisory committee has been meeting for a couple of years and is currently on draft # 10 of a proposed new standard.

Republicans have introduced House Bill 5447 to ban MIOSHA from promulgating a needed ergonomics rule.

Please contact your state representative and state senator today and ask that they vote no on HB 5447 or any other bill that would prevent MIOSHA from addressing the terrible problem of ergonomic injuries in the workplace. We must reduce the tremendous human and financial drain that ergonomic injuries are having on our economy.

Source:

Annunciator, March, 2006
Utility Workers Union of America
Local 223