• Bush Offers No Plan to Address Repetitive Strain Injuries
• Facts about Ergonomics/Repetitive Strain Injuries
• Tools
• Key Studies on Ergonomics and the Workplace
• Ergonomics Standards in the States
• International Standards
• Other Information on Ergonomics

Bush Offers No Plan to Address Repetitive Strain Injuries

More than a year after the Bush administration repealed the ergonomics standard, the Labor Department announced it’s solution to ergonomic hazards in the workplace—unenforceable voluntary guidelines. Find out why the "plan" won’t protect workers.

• Statement by AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney on the Bush administration 'comprehensive plan' on ergonomics.
• Bush administration ergonomics "plan" fails to protect workers from crippling injuries.
• The Bush ergonomics "plan"—all talk and no protection for workers flier.
• The Bush ergonomics "plan"—no real protections for workers fact sheet.
• Ergonomics: A year of broken promises.
• Big Business influence on congressional ergonomics opponents.
• See for yourself—OSHA website on Bush plan.

Facts about Ergonomics/Repetitive Strain Injuries

Get the facts on what these injuries are, what causes them and who’s at greatest risk.

• Mayo Clinic carpal tunnel syndrome study methodologically flawed;
• Chronology of OSHA’s ergonomics standard;
• Workers need protection from "ergonomic" hazards;
• Women workers need an ergonomics standard;
• Construction Ergonomics;
• Department of Defense Ergonomics fact sheets;
• Safety and Health experts support ergonomics standard;
• Good ergonomics is good economics;
• Employers agree, ergonomic programs work!;
• 2001 National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine report supports a Standard to Prevent Ergonomic Injuries;
• Workers’ compensation and RSIs;
• Stop the Pain: an AFL-CIO background report (April 1997).

Tools

These mapping exercises, checklists and resource guides can help you identify and begin to deal with ergonomic hazards in your workplace.

• Body Mapping—Find out where you and your co-workers hurt and why;
• Risk Mapping—Look at your working environment, what materials you’re working with and how they might be affecting you and your co-workers;
• Life Mapping (or World Mapping)—Discover the impact of the job on your whole life;
• Office Ergonomics: Practical Solutions for a Safer Workplace;
• Patient Care Ergonomics Resource Guide: Safe Patient Handling and Movement.

Key Studies on Ergonomics and the Workplace

Read the studies that clearly show that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are caused by ergonomic hazards in the workplace and that these injuries can be prevented.

• 2001 National Academy of Sciences report, Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace;
• 1998 National Academy of Sciences report, Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Report, Workshop Summary and Workshop Papers;
• 1997 NIOSH Study, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors;
• 1997 General Accounting Office report, Worker Protection: Private Sector Ergonomics Programs Yield Positive Results (report number HEHS-97-163), on flexible approaches to cutting costs and injuries from ergonomic hazards.

  1999/2000 Ergonomics Rule Making

  The AFL-CIO’s comments on the proposed rule and the rule as it existed before it was repealed.

  • AFL-CIO post hearing brief on OSHA's proposed ergonomics program standard.

Ergonomics Standards in the States

So far, two states—California and Washington—had ergonomics standards. In November 2003, Washington State's ergonomics standard was repealed by voters through a ballot initiative that misled voters into believing that the rule would cost the state jobs. The initiative was sought and paid for by the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW).

Washington State issued a final ergonomics standard on May 26, 2000. Though it was later repealed, you can still access the full text and supporting documents.

• Executive Summary
• Appendices A, B and C

California has had an ergonomics standard since July 1997.

International Ergonomics Standards/Guidelines/Ordinances

While the Bush administration claims it’s premature to regulate ergonomics, other countries have already taken action.

• Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibration).
• Australia National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Occupational Overuse Syndrome [NOHSC:2013(1994)].
• Australia: Victorian Manual Handling Code of Practice
• British Columbia's Ergonomics Standard:(Sections 4.46-4.53)
• European Union: European Commission's Council Directive 90/269/EEC in May 1990 on the minimum health and safety requirements for the manual handling of loads where there is a risk of back injury to workers.
• Council Directive 90/270/EEC in May 1990 on the minimum safety and health requirements for work with display screen equipment.
• New Zealand: Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Occupational Overuse Syndrome.
• Approved Code of Practice for the Use of Visual Display Units.
• Singapore: Guidelines on Office Ergonomics.

Other Countries Have Standards/Guidelines/Ordinances that Are Not Currently Available Online

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO): has several standards concerning ergonomics;
• United Kingdom: Health and Safety Executive Manual Handling Operations Regulations, 1992;
• Health and Safety Executive Display Screen Equipment Regulations, 1992.>

Other Information on Ergonomics

• Ergonomics resource list;
• Links to ergonomics resources on the web.

Ergonomics Archives

• Past Alerts;
• Bush Labor Department's one-sided forums are a sham;
• Statement of the AFL-CIO before the Department of Labor on ergonomics;
• AFL-CIO petition to OSHA for a new ergonomics standard.