OSHA proposals on ergonomics, I2P2 tangled in fighting over budget

Two controversial proposals by OSHA are becoming entangled with partisan fighting over the federal budget.

A spending bill crafted recently by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), chairman of the House Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee, would block OSHA from moving ahead on proposals to change the way ergonomic injuries are reported and to create an Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

As reported by The Hill, a Washington publication, Rehberg’s bill drew immediate criticism from the Obama administration and the AFL-CIO.

The ergonomics bill would create a separate column for musculoskeletal injuries on the injury log that employers must submit to OSHA. Business groups have said that this is the first step towards reviving efforts to create an OSHA standard on ergonomics, an effort which failed 10 years ago.

The Injury and Illness Prevention Program – I2P2 for short – would require employers to develop safety programs that conform with specific federal guidelines. Business groups have objected that such a program would be a bureaucratic nightmare, creating guidelines that would not fit well with a wide variety of industries and business conditions.

At a hearing last week, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), chairman of the House subcommittee on workforce protections, said that the costs of regulations can be significant and can cause employers to refrain from hiring new workers.

OSHA administrator David Michaels defended the safety regulations, saying, “OSHA regulations don’t kill jobs. They stop jobs from killing workers.”

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