ADVISORY/Labor Attorney Available to Discuss Impact of Expected Ruling Against OSHA's Ergonomic Regulations.

Business Editors & News Desks

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

-- Who: Attorney Helen Arntson of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP is available to
comment on the impact of the expected Congressional decision to block the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) extensive ergonomics
regulations, which initially passed last November. An attorney in the
employment and labor practice at Preston Gates & Ellis, Arntson regularly
counsels clients on a wide variety of workplace issues, including worker
safety.

-- What: The Congressional Review Act, a law which was passed with little
attention five years ago, allows Congress to reject regulations by a simple
majority vote with no hearing, and little debate. Congress is expected to
invoke this law today or early tomorrow in order to overturn the extensive
rules established to prevent work related injuries caused by repetitive motion,
such as extensive typing, lifting or working assembly lines.

-- Why: Despite OSHA's estimates that 460,000 work-related injuries would be
prevented per year, and that reporting of such injuries would improve by 50
percent, saving employers $9.1 billion a year for the first ten years it is in
effect, several businesses have been intimidated by the upfront costs.
According to OSHA, employers would pay as much as $4.5 billion annually to
implement the required programs, and heaviest hit would be large businesses as
well as those businesses relying on assembly lines. Lobbying by business
groups, such as the National Association of Manufacturers, has pressured
Congress to take action against the ergonomics rule.

-- When: The ergonomics regulations were initially passed in November 2000, and
became effective January 16, 2001, though employers had until October 14, 2001
to begin the process by providing basic information to employees.

-- What's Next: Should Congress decide to set aside the ergonomics rule, it may
be difficult to predict how long it may be before another set of national
ergonomics rules are set. Thus, some states are taking matters into their own
hands. The state of Washington recently adopted a sweeping set of regulations
requiring that each employer analyze the physical requirements of every job,
even before any injuries are reported, and take appropriate steps to decrease
the risk of any such injury occurring. Arntson can comment on what impact
Congress' expected decision may have on Washington and other states across the
country.

-- For further information: To schedule an interview with Helen Arntson, please
contact Sandi Sonnenfeld at 206/270-4659 or Leslie Meagley at 206/467-5483.