Ergonomics Bill Advances Under Presidential Veto Threat

House Republicans have succeeded in passing legislation to block implementation of a proposed ergonomics work rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and it has a good chance of getting through the Senate. But the bill could encounter a presidential veto when it reaches the Oval Office.

The “Workplace Preservation Act,” which passed Aug. 3 on a 217-209 vote, would require the Labor Department to wait for a National Academy of Sciences study before going ahead with new rules to help prevent repetitive stress injuries.

Critics said the bill would unnecessarily delay rules needed to help the 600,000 workers who suffer from work-related injuries and illnesses every year.

Supporters said the science on the issue is murky and that it makes sense to require the Labor Department to wait for the study before moving forward.

Rep. Roy Blunt, the bill’s chief sponsor, estimated that the federal rules would cost employers $3.5 billion a year in compliance measures. He also said workers might be the big losers if the rules went into effect, because employers would be tempted to use more automation and fewer employees.

The Missouri Republican said he has 42 sponsors lined up in the Senate.

“No American should lose their job based on a Washington regulator’s unsubstantiated opinion of the workplace,” he said. “Any future regulations should be based on fact, not fiction.”

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