WE CARE, a group of state and national business organizations, has filed an appeal to the Dept. of Labor and Industries’ ergonomics rules.

“We were pleased that the Senate passed SB 5161 to make the ergonomics rules voluntary,” said Amber Balch of the Association of Washington Business, chair of WE CARE. “Unfortunately, the House is refusing to pass this bill, and the governor is threatening to veto it if it is passed. We have no other recourse but to take the ergonomics issue to court.”

Oral arguments begin May 22.

The Dept. of Labor and Industries’ ergonomics rules are intended to prevent workplace injuries by mandating that workplace tools and procedures be adapted to the human body. These regulations are untested and not universally supported by medical experts.

The ergonomics rules have been opposed by businesses that stand to lose around $725 million a year to comply with the regulations. It is feared that if the rules are enforced, more jobs and businesses will leave the state.

On the other hand, AWB has consistently supported a different approach.

“We want to do pilot studies directed specifically at jobs where there is the strongest potential to stress or repetitive motion injuries,” AWB President Don Brunell said. “That way we can target the injuries much like our military now targets its munitions. Then we hit the target rather than randomly bomb like we did in World War II.

“We support solutions. We just want to zero in on the problems so we don’t kill jobs.”

Washington’s ergonomic regulations took effect on July 1, 2002, but will not be enforced until 2004 due to a two-year delay mandated by the Governor.

The Senate supported making the ergonomics rules voluntary by passing SB 5161, introduced by Rep. Mike Hewitt (R-16). The bill passed the Senate on Feb. 18. The bill is now in the House Commerce & Labor Committee.