Announced last month by Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, the plan aims to reduce ergonomics-related injuries through voluntary, industry-targeted guidelines, tough enforcement measures, workplace outreach, and advanced research.

     “We have a golden opportunity before us to successfully reduce ergonomic injuries right now, not years down the road,” Norwood said.

     Norwood promised to work together with the Administration to ensure the plan is successfully implemented. “What I am not going to do,” he vowed, “is spend my time trying to pass any bill to force OSHA to use its resources to do anything other than make this plan work.”

     Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) also attended the hearing. “The National Academy of Sciences cautioned us not to adopt a one-size-fits-all standard on ergonomics,” he said. “In light of the Labor Department’s proposal, I think we’re well on our way to a comprehensive and workable approach to reducing workplace injuries.”

     “Injuries associated with ergonomic hazards are real,” noted John Henshaw, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, “and we are committed to reducing them.”

     Henshaw observed that ergonomics-related injuries -- those caused by repetitive motions like typing or lifting -- have declined by 26 percent since 1992. He attributed the decline to voluntary employer prevention efforts. “It is simply good business,” Henshaw said, to prevent workplace injuries.

     But, he continued, “we need to achieve further reductions.”

     Chairman Norwood said he intends to conduct another hearing on the ergonomics issue at “an appropriate time in the future.”

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