Watch CBS News

House Votes Down Ergonomic Rules

In a defeat for organized labor, the House voted Thursday to block federal rules aimed at preventing some of the 1.8 million workplace injuries that occur each year.

On an issue that has pitted unions against business for a decade, the House voted 220-203 to stop the government from issuing final ergonomics rules that would require 1.6 million employers to take steps to prevent injuries to workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has planned to issue the final rules by year's end. President Clinton wants them to take effect, and is virtually certain to veto legislation that would prevent them from doing so.

Nonetheless, labor officials opposed having Thursday's vote, worried that the effort to block the rules would prevail and give momentum to the other side. They also said the vote would let Republicans from districts with strong union membership cast themselves as pro-labor.

In addition, the battle came just two weeks after labor lost its battle with business over the effort by Clinton and Republican leaders to permanently grant normal trade status to China. Business won that fight as the House approved the trading rights for China by 40 votes, and labor leaders vowed retribution against some of those who opposed them.

OSHA's proposed rules call on employers in certain industries to address ergonomics, which is the fit between workers and work. Ergonomics seeks to prevent injuries by eliminating repeated, awkward movements at the workplace.

The Labor Department says the proposed rules would affect 1.6 million employers, a third of general industry work sites, and 27 million workers in manual handling and manufacturing jobs.

Some of the manual labor jobs covered include baggage handling, delivery work, garbage collection and stocking shelves.

Covered manufacturing jobs include assembly line work, meat packing, commercial baking and jobs in the apparel industry.

All employers covered by the rule would have to provide workers with information on ergonomics: the risk of injuries, the symptoms of problems and how to report them.

If an injury occurred at one of the covered work sites, employers would have to implement a "full program." That would would require business owners to correct the cause of the injury and provide special training for managers employers, as OSHA monitored their compliance.

The Labor Department estimated the total cost to employers at $4.2 billion each year.

"Fewer than 30 percent of general industry employers have effective ergonomics programs in place today," the Labor Department has said. That despite the fact that 600,000 musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) require workers to take time off work.

Claims or MSDs—which include ailments like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and back pain—make up one-third of worker's compensation costs, according to the Labor Department.

Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman has said that each year the rules would save 300,000 workers from injuries and save businesses $9 billion.

In testimony before Congress, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Charles N. Jeffress said that, "$1 of every $3 spent on workers' compensation stems from insufficient ergonomic protection."

The new rules have been in development since 1990. In 1998, Congress passed a law calling for National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study of ergonomics before OSHA could issue the new rules.

In 1999, the House passed a law calling for a second NAS study. It did not pass.

The House Thursday also defeated an amendment to increase the minimum wage one dollar, from $5.15 to $6.16.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.