April 17, 2002—The Small Business Administrations Office of Advocacy recently came out in favor of OSHAs recent ergonomics strategy. “The Department of Labor appears to have listened to the concerns of small business in developing its new approach to curbing workplace injuries,” said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy.
“I commend Secretary Chao and OSHA Assistant Secretary Henshaw for seriously considering the comments and concerns of small business owners in developing this strategy. The last time OSHA dealt with ergonomics they solicited small business comments, but then ignored what small employers had to say. We believe that the new approach unveiled today is a step in the right direction toward understanding and addressing the concerns of small business.” He continued, “Small business owners made it clear that no one wants to protect employees more than they do. But, prescriptive, one-size-fits-all regulations can sometimes hurt more than help.”
Small business concerns were formalized in 1999 through a panel process required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA). One recommendation from the Panel Report was for OSHA to consider voluntary guidelines – a key component of the strategy announced today. Office of Advocacy research found that the last ergonomic standard would have cost up to 15 times more than OSHA’s $3 billion estimate.
For more information, visit the Office of Advocacy.
