The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforced a variety of occupational safety and health regulations that often have considerable economic impact on businesses. One of the best examples of such regulations comes from the result of more than a decade of investigation and research by OSHA with respect to preventing ergonomic-related work injuries. The results of the OSHA research produced enforcement regulation that includes the following plan:
OSHA development of voluntary guidelines for specific industries and tasks.
Development of an enforcement plan with specialized ergonomic inspection teams that will prosecute when necessary.
Assistance and outreach to small businesses.
Research bolstered by a national advisory committee to advise OSHA.
The ergonomics debate has waged for more than a decade. Avoiding ergonomics injuries on the job is important, but rules that were to go into effect in 2001 were killed by Congress which voted to repeal the standards issued under former President Clinton. Widespread business opposition is one of the biggest factors behind the vote in Congress. This is because many OSHA regulations are perceived as a threat to businesses, both large and small. For instance, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) lobbied hard against the adoption of OSHA ergonomics regulations. The NRA called the new regulations “bureaucratic madness” and went on to state forcefully: “We vehemently oppose the decision by OSHA to impose costly and bureaucratic workplace regulations that will negatively impact not only the nation’s restaurants, but virtually every business and job in the nation” (National 1).
The NRA is not the only industry association opposed to OSHA ergonomics legislation. The Bush Administration is opposed to increased enforcement by OSHA. In 2002 the Bush Administration proposed cuts at OSHA by 7 percent, reducing OSHA spending
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