foolmenot.comWhere California goes, so goes Michigan?
“The mere fact that the state has a committee pondering tighter workplace restrictions is more economic poison, said state Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge. California is the only state to have such standards.”
California went down the tubes; I don’t think we want to follow their lead. This is nice sounding legislation and will provide great name-calling fodder for Liberals to use against Republicans this election cycle; just watch.
In the quote below, the state seems to acknowledge the fact that we don’t need additional ergonomics rules by saying work-related injuries are declining. Officials then seemed to fumble their way into an attempt to disavow their own stats…
“State Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials report that the number of work-related injuries is declining but add that sprains, strains and overexertion lead to more than half of all workers' compensation claims in Michigan.”
“Sprains, strains and overexertion”, that are reducing each year, do not need the support of legislation that will drive business out of Michigan.
Full article follows…
Senate blocks new safety rules for workplace
Tighter restrictions called poison for state reeling from job losses; debate is far from over.
Gary Heinlein / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
LANSING -- With 35,000 Ford Motor Co. layoffs looming, lawmakers Tuesday passed a bill to block the state from adopting new workplace safety rules they say can only add to Michigan's job woes.
The legislation, approved on a 22-14 party-line vote in the Michigan Senate, is intended to short-circuit two years of efforts by an advisory commission to come up with recommended ergonomics standards for Michigan employers. Ergonomics is the science of designing tools and equipment to help people work efficiently and injury-free.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm is certain to veto the bill, but that won't end the debate.
"This is a worker safety issue and, furthermore, we believe the (Labor and Economic Growth) Department has a right to study it and come up with a solution," said Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd. "It has been and continues to be a very thoughtful process, and we believe the commission should be allowed to complete its work."
It's a good bet the disagreement will become part of Republican challenger Richard DeVos' effort to defeat Granholm in November. Republicans already are painting her as unable or unwilling to help fix the lagging economy, and they say she's at least partly to blame for the climate leading to Ford's plan to lay off thousands of workers and close 14 factories in North America.
The mere fact that the state has a committee pondering tighter workplace restrictions is more economic poison, said state Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge. California is the only state to have such standards.
"We have to realize we're fighting for jobs, and we can't be different from the rest of the country," said Jones, the chief bill sponsor. "People are leaving Michigan to find jobs."
The Republican leaders claim ergonomics mandates could cost Michigan businesses $500 million a year.
United Auto Workers union safety director Franklin Mirer argues that ergonomics requirements could be turned to Michigan's advantage because automakers are leaders in the field.
"It's an asset, a competitive edge," he said. "Why aren't we using it?"
State Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials report that the number of work-related injuries is declining but add that sprains, strains and overexertion lead to more than half of all workers' compensation claims in Michigan.
"Will a rule help this?" asked Michigan OSHA director Douglas Kalinowski. "That's a question I can't answer yet. It's worth looking at."
The 14-member advisory commission, put together by OSHA after federal ergonomics rules were repealed in 1996, has drafted a dozen possible sets of state ergonomics standards. Any standards the commission does recommend would have to go through a complicated rule-making process, including legislative review.
As contemplated so far, the rules would be simple. They would require employers to give their workers ergonomics awareness training and conduct formal assessments of their injury risk factors.
You can reach Gary Heinlein at (313) 222-2470 or gheinlein@detnews.com.