Ergonomics Roadblock Withdrawn

A proposal that would have stalled the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s controversial rules on workplace ergonomics was withdrawn on the Senate floor Oct. 7 during debate on an appropriations bill for the Labor Department.

However, spokesmen for the amendment’s author, Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-Mo.), said the lawmaker would continue to work for passage of a stand-alone bill that would accomplish the same thing.

TTNews Message Boards
The Bond measure, which has attracted more than 48 cosponsors, is similar to the Workplace Preservation Act, which passed the House on a 217-209 vote Aug. 3 (8-9, p. 1).

The proposal would have required the Labor Department to wait for a National Academy of Sciences study before going ahead with new OSHA ergonomics rules. It was supported by more than 200 business and trade groups, including American Trucking Associations.



For the full story, see the Oct. 11 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.