Political Quotes

“OSHA's final ergonomic rules are flawed and based on assumptions and speculation. Even a study done by the National Academy of Sciences on ergonomics, which implied their support of OSHA's ergonomics regulation, called for more research and better statistics. We can't run agencies on assumptions, instead, agencies must govern on sound principles. And sound principles do not include holding employers responsible for employee injuries that may have occurred outside the workplace. That's simple unfair and unjust to small businesses across the country. What we have here is another federal agency that doesn't trust the American people. In fact, small businesses, testifying before OSHA public hearings, suggested non-regulatory, educational and voluntary approaches to addressing ergonomic issues. However, OSHA ignored small business concerns despite the fact the American people and small businesses have voluntarily reduced injuries by 26% between 1992 and 1998. OSHA estimated the ergonomics standard will cost employers $4.2 billion a year, but a Small Business Administration report estimated the actual cost of compliance would be as high as $42.3 billion. This cost will come out of American's wallets just because OSHA wanted to put this rule in place, even though they did so without listening to the people through a Congressionally-mandated analysis.”