OSHA said to contract out critical ergonomics work

Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., says the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has relied too heavily on contractors to rush through an ergonomics rule that would require significant changes in employers' approach to preventing and treating repetitive motion disorders.

In a "Dear Colleague" letter sent out Tuesday, Enzi urged fellow senators to delay implementation of OSHA's proposed rule for one year.

According to Enzi's investigations, OSHA has paid at least 70 contractors more than $1.7 million to work on the rule, and has paid others to review comments on the rule.

"The fact that OSHA has farmed out this very important task is clearly evidence that OSHA is attempting to rush through this rulemaking process instead of taking the time to do its own job properly," Enzi wrote in the letter.

Enzi also wrote that OSHA might have underestimated the proposed rule's impact on already strapped nursing homes, because they will not be able to pass on increased costs to Medicare and Medicaid patients.

OSHA proposed the rule last November and hopes to finalize it this year.