At Last, Strong Ergonomics Protections
By Jon Melegrito
U.S. workers are a step closer to a workplace that is kinder to their aching backs, necks, wrists and joints. On Nov. 13, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its final ergonomics standard, requiring employers to correct conditions that cause carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The standard will take effect on Jan. 16, 2001.
OSHA estimates that 1.8 million workers report MSDs each year and that 600,000 of these injuries result in time off to recover. Ergonomic hazards are the most common safety problems among AFSCME members.
FINAL BATTLE. “This is a truly historic victory for worker safety,” said Pres. Gerald W. McEntee. “But the final battle for an ergonomics standard is not yet over.” Noting industry-supported roadblocks ahead, he warned that “this major accomplishment signals the beginning of another battle to combat attempts by business interests and congressional opponents to overturn the new standard through legislative and court actions.”
Indeed, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business interests have already filed lawsuits to prevent enactment of the standard.
AFSCME and the rest of the labor movement put enormous effort into reaching this point. In November 1999, when OSHA finally issued its proposal, our members testified at a series of public hearings about injuries they have suffered and successful ergonomics programs that have been implemented. When opponents tried to kill the proposal, AFSCME and other unions successfully fought back.
WORKERS’ COMPLAINTS. Maureen Pomillo of Local 1635 (Council 66) was among those who responded to an AFSCME survey about workplace injuries. She had worked as a 911 operator at the Rochester (N.Y.) Office of Emergency Communications, a high-stress environment with no ergonomically designed furniture or equipment. Pain in her fingers became so acute that she was forced to leave the job.
Investigations of the site where Pomillo worked revealed that poorly designed workstations and inadequate rest periods were causing carpal tunnel syndrome and other MSDs. Thirteen percent of the employees were diagnosed with an MSD, and another 23 percent had developed such symptoms as numbness and pain in the hands, wrists and elbows.
In 1993, Local 1635 worked with the city management of Rochester to design brand-new equipment to accommodate workers’ physical needs. Each workstation now has fully adjustable computer keyboards and screens. “These adjustments eased my pain,” said Janice Lloyd, who has worked in both the old and new 911 centers. “I would have continued losing use of my right hand and arm if critical changes had not been made.”
PREVENTIVE ACTION. Terry Clark, a safety inspector for the state of Wisconsin (Local 333, Council 24), welcomes the new standard. “A change in equipment might be all it takes,” he says. “There’s definitely a need for preventive actions before injuries occur.”
OSHA’s standard requires employers to provide their employees with information about MSDs. If persistent symptoms are work related, the employer must determine what is causing the problem and take action to control the risk factors for that job. The requirements do not apply to construction, maritime, agriculture or employers who operate a railroad.
“The new standard is long overdue,” says James August, AFSCME assistant director for health and safety. “This new protection will prevent hundreds of thousands of serious injuries each year and will spare workers the pain, suffering and disability caused by these injuries.”
