| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) tonight called on Republicans
in Congress to stop blocking health and safety standards that will help
prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). During Stop the Pain Rally,
Schakowsky said that over 600,000 workers every year are injured by RSIs
and that RSIs account for one-third of all serious workplace injuries.
She added that RSIs cost billions of dollars a year in lost productivity
and medical costs, and that women, who are 46% of the workforce, suffer
63% of all RSIs.
The
Stop the Pain Rally focused on protecting workers from on-the-job RSIs
and crippling back injuries by allowing the Occupational Health and Safety
Administration OSHA) from finally implementing workplace safety (ergonomics)
standards. Despite years of studies showing that safety standards could
significantly reduce injuries, major corporations and the Republican leadership
have blocked OSHA from acting. The House-passed Labor-HHS-Education
appropriations bill would give the next President the ability to prevent
ergonomics standards from going into effect next July.
Injuries
such as carpal tunnel syndrome do not prevent people from working.
Instead, these injuries prevent people from opening up their hands, meaning
that they can not hold their children or prepare foods. The rally called
on Congress to pass legislation to reduce workplace injuries and protect
working families by getting out of the way and allowing OSHA safety standards
to go into effect. |
