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Photos 1, 2, & 3, (from left to right) Jay Mallin, 4 & 5 David Kamba

UAW members testified before OSHA in favor of a strong ergonomics standard. Left to right: Susan Ruhala, Victor Henderson, Pat McGee, Sandy Alston, and Stephen Mitchell.

Susan Ruhala, a UAW joint ergonomics technician at Local 651, told the OSHA panel that 46 percent of the total recordable injuries in the Delphi plant in Flint, Mich., were ergonomic-related due to repetitive work, awkward postures, and forceful exertions.

Victor Henderson, UAW ergonomic technician at the GM parts operation in Pontiac, Mich., said workers often avoid reporting early symptoms to medical "because they are afraid of being harassed by management or being viewed as a wimp by their peers."

"The UAW and GM have recognized the need for intervention in addressing problems which can cause cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs)," said Pat McGee, UAW Local 2209 member from the GM truck plant in Roanoke, Ind.

At the Chicago hearing Sandy Alston, chair of the safety committee for UAW Local 997 at Maytag in Newton, Iowa, discussed many ergonomic improvements that have been made in her facility based on suggestions from a joint union-management Workplace Design Team.

Stephen Mitchell, UAW Local 974 at Caterpillar in Peoria, Ill., explained how management and the union safety representative found a company that could build a special tool to torque the cylinders on a large diesel engine that was causing repeated injuries.

Besides these and other UAW members, UAW staff members also testified.

Dr. Frank Mirer, director of the union’s well-respected Health and Safety Department, said the UAW strongly supports the proposed standard as a modest but critical first step.

"Only the direction of an OSHA ergonomic standard will provide employers with definitions of what they need to do and workers with a means to spur their employers to do it--and might give professionals the excuse to do the right things," Mirer said.

Mirer also spelled out areas where the proposed standard could be improved. He said that employers should be required to analyze jobs whenever they have knowledge that a hazard exists rather than waiting for an injury to occur. And he said the medical provisions of the standard are not protective enough.

Mirer presented evidence that the musculoskeletal injury rate in auto and parts plants has declined by 28 percent since 1994--in large part because of UAW-negotiated ergonomic programs with General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and other employers.

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