RIMS Joins Suit Against OSHA Rule

Jan. 19, 2001
The Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) has become a\r\nparty to a motion filed by the National Association of Manufacturers\r\nseeking review of OSHA's ergonomics rule.

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The Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) has become a party to a motion filed by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) seeking review of OSHA''s ergonomics rule, which took effect Tuesday.

"RIMS would much rather negotiate than litigate, but they have left us no other alternative," said Lance Ewing, RIMS vice president for external affairs, regarding the society decision to join the NAM suit.

The NAM suit is one of roughly a dozen court filings seeking to challenge the controversial standard.

The NAM action and others brought by employers say that the standard lacks sufficient scientific justification and is the product of a faulty rulemaking process.

Another action, filed by a group of major insurers, challenges the rule on the basis that it represents an unwarranted federal intrusion in state-based workers'' compensation systems because it mandates specific benefits for ergonomic-related injuries.

Other motions filed by labor unions, which strongly support the idea of a federal ergonomics standard, question whether the rule goes far enough to protect workers.

All of the motions were consolidated before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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