News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On the first work day after Congress failed to renew a four-year ban prohibiting the action, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a 1,000-page proposed rule that would require employers to establish workplace procedures to prevent repetitive motion injuries and to take remedial action when such injuries do occur. ASA, which had been a key proponent of the Congressional blockade, blasted the rule as "ill-considered," pointing out how difficult it is to prove scientifically whether some injuries result from work, activities at home or physical predisposition's. Although construction employers would be exempted from this rule, OSHA has indicated that it plans to follow the "general industry" rule with one targeting construction. As a precursor, the agency earlier this year approved publication of a booklet titled preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Construction Workers.

The proposed OSHA rule can be accessed from the OSHA home page at www.osha.gov. Copies also can be obtained from OSHA's Publications Office by calling 202-693-1888. To order ASA's kit on preventing repetitive motion injuries, call Specialty Contractor Press at 301-645-3574 and ask for Working Without the Pain: Preventing Cumulative Trauma Disorders. The price is $69 for ASA members and $99 for non-ASA members.