AFL-CIO Responds to Chao's Testimony on Ergonomics

April 30, 2001
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao's testimony before a congressional committee offered\r\nlittle hope to those who suffer from repetitive stress injuries, according to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao''s testimony before a congressional committee Thursday on the need for a new ergonomics standard offered little hope to those who suffer from crippling repetitive stress injuries, according to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

"Workers afflicted with such injuries number about 5,000 a day," said Sweeney. "But Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, despite promises offered after Congress repealed a job safety standard earlier this year, put forth no plan to address these injuries. She presented neither a long term plan, an interim solution nor a time frame for action, confirming fears that this administration has no plans to deal with the most important job safety problem in America."

When asked by Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, when she was going to set a deadline for a new rule, Chao argued that she wanted time to build a "consensus approach" to the issue, and that rushing to meet an "artificial deadline" was precisely why OSHA''s last ergonomics rule was so controversial that Congress revoked it earlier this year.

Sweeney called Chao''s plea for patience "an insult to workers who have lost their health and livelihoods while waiting years for relief."

Specter told Chao to "go back to the drawing board" and come up with an estimate on how long it would take to do a new rule.

"America''s workers deserve better," said Sweeney. "Sens. Arlen Specter and Tom Harkin took the right firs step today in holding the Department of Labor accountable. Now the department has made clear that it cannot be looked to for leadership, Congress must take up the job."

by Virginia Sutcliffe

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!