"The ergonomics law is good for workers' health, but it is also good business," Andrews said." Protecting workers from foreseeable repetitive stress injuries will economically benefit these businesses by identifying work duties that cause these types of injuries.  The business can then provide for the safety of the worker by altering the job. This change will prevent costly employee medical bills, worker's compensation claims and lost time due to injury. It is the right thing to do both ethically and economically and I urge President Bush to uphold the standard." 

Congressman Andrews has supported the ergonomics standard throughout the battle to enact it. On November 14, 2000 President Clinton signed the ergonomics standard into law.  It will take effect October 15, 2001.  Sources within the Bush Administration, however, have threatened to suspend or repeal the standard.  

According to the 1998 Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 600,000 workers suffered serious injuries resulting in missing at least one day of work that would have been prevented through employer compliance with the ergonomics standard.  OSHA has estimated that these injuries account for $15 to $18 billion in lost revenue nationally, and $450 to $540 million here in New Jersey on an annual basis.

There are signs that these types of injuries are on the rise and more common than previously surmised.  According to a recent USA Today Article, "Technology workers as young as 20 to 30 years old face crippling injuries from long hours spent in an environment without sufficient ergonomics training." Many companies such as Intel and Hewlett-Packard have already begun voluntary programs to deal with repetitive-motion injuries, which provide more support for the argument that there are economic advantages to addressing the causes of repetitive stress injuries prior to having them manifested in lost time and medical bills.

As part of an entire day devoted to improving the safety of South Jersey workers, Rep. Andrews visited the emergency room of Kennedy Hospital in Washington Township to highlight the need for "Safe Needle" legislation to protect health care workers from harmful needle sticks.  OSHA estimates that approximately one in ten healthcare workers (590,000) each year are stuck by a potentially hazardous needle that would otherwise have been prevented provided that "safe needles" had been used.  These workers are potentially exposed to deadly blood-borne infectious diseases each time they are stuck by a needle.  Once stuck, they are required to submit to a battery of tests to rule out infectious disease at a cost of $500-$1000 per incident.  If a worker has been infected by HIV or some other blood borne disease, costs for treatment can exceed $20,000 per year per case.

Last year, Congressman Andrews cosponsored legislation to require the use of "safe needles" in virtually all hospitals in the country.  The measure passed the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate.  Rep. Andrews today pledged to cosponsor this legislation during the 107th Congress and work to promote its passage.  New Jersey, with the cooperation of the New Jersey Hospital Association, has already adopted its own legislation to require the use of safe needless and serves as a model for the entire Nation in this regard.

Andrews began the day with a speech to the Burlington County Chamber of Commerce emphasizing his plans to strengthen the private pension system for American workers.  Andrews serves as the senior Democrat on pension issues on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, which oversees the nation's primary pension law.

For employers seeking more information on the ergonomics standard and voluntary compliance please call the New Jersey Department of Labor at (609) 292-3923.  Information can also be found via the World Wide Web by visiting www.state.nj.us/labo r/consult.htm or www.osha.gov .