Reps. Bisbee, DeRossett, Huizenga, Kooiman, Vander Veen, Voorhees, Drolet, Wenke, Hummel, Palmer, Caswell, Nitz, Milosch, Garfield, Acciavatti, Ward, Emmons, Bradstreet, LaJoy, Pastor, Nofs, Mortimer, Hune, Gaffney, Palsrok, Newell, Caul, DeRoche, Hoogendyk, Pumford, Hart, Howell, Koetje, Middaugh, Steil, Brandenburg, Ehardt, Meyer, Pappageorge, Shulman, Stewart and Taub offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 233.

            A resolution to urge the Governor to direct the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration not to promulgate ergonomics standards for Michigan.

            Whereas, In November of 2000, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a rule to establish national standards for ergonomics.  In March 2001, Congress and the President, citing serious concerns over workplace costs, repealed the rule and published voluntary guidelines to deal with this issue; and

            Whereas, Since the federal government left implementation of ergonomics standards to the states, only one state, California, has adopted state ergonomics rules.  The central concerns with state regulations setting ergonomics standards include the hundreds of hours of training, planning, and record-keeping compliance would require.  Other major worries generated by the since-overturned OSHA rules were provisions pertaining to compensation arising from repetitive-motion injuries; and

            Whereas, Since the 1980s, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has worked with employers all across the state to address ergonomics issues.  These cooperative initiatives, which include grants, education, and training, have had significant positive impacts for Michigan workers, without imposing prohibitive cost burdens on workers.  Injuries have been reduced notably; and

            Whereas, In spite of the progress made in Michigan without government-mandated standards, and in spite of the fact that virtually every other state has not promulgated ergonomics rules, an advisory committee of MIOSHA has been working to develop a state ergonomics standard. While assessing the overall financial impact of state ergonomics standards would depend on the specifics, there is little doubt that these types of regulations would increase costs substantially.  One study of the potential impact of the earlier federal standards estimated costs to state and local governments of between $53 and $101 million; and

            Whereas, Promulgating state ergonomics standards is clearly not an approach that would be helpful to economic development and job creation in our state; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the Governor to direct the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration not to promulgate ergonomics standards for Michigan; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.