Rules Requiring Use of Seat Belts on Job Urged : Safety: U.S. proposes fining employers for violations. And workers riding motorcycles would be forced to wear helmets.
Under federal regulations proposed Wednesday, employers could be fined if their workers do not fasten their seat belts while driving on the job.
The rules, proposed by Labor Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole, also would affect workers who ride in taxis. And they would require workers who use motorcycles on the job to wear helmets.
Dole said that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules would save an estimated 685 lives a year. “It’s a small commitment that can make a big difference in the number of workers killed or injured in motor vehicle accidents,” she said.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce spokesman called the rules “nitpicking,” and complained that they represent both an unnecessary burden on employers and an infringement on individual rights. However, some corporate officials said that the rules would strengthen their own company regulations requiring employees to use seat belts during business trips in motor vehicles. The action was hailed by a number of safety groups, including the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Safety Council.
If adopted, the regulations would apply to some 5.4 million businesses. Those with fewer than 10 employees would be exempt and the rules apply only to vehicles currently required to have seat belts under federal law. The proposed regulations would not take effect until after a 120-day comment period. Follow-up public hearings could be scheduled on the issue.
Under the new rules, employers would be required to provide a one-hour driver safety awareness program for workers every three years.
Dole said that the overall cost of the employee training program would be about $220 million, a cost of about $6 per driver. Employer penalties for violating the rules would range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the nature of the infringement. Details on how the rules would be enforced were not made clear Thursday.
Thirty-six states, including California, now have seat belt laws that cover more than 80% of the U.S. population, but Dole said that fewer than half of drivers and passengers use them. Only 22 states have comprehensive laws requiring motorcyclists to use helmets.
In California, where helmet use has sparked emotional and bitter debate, helmets are required only of cyclists who are younger than 15 1/2 years.
Dole said that the proposed rules had gotten a favorable reception so far and that she was not aware of any opposition to them.
However, Fred Krebs, manager of the business, government and politics unit of the Chamber of Commerce, said that the rules are “a bit of regulatory overkill.” He added that they “appear to be relatively modest, yet disturbing,” because they exemplify unnecessary government interference.
Dole, however, said that she expects support from employers because the rule will help prevent deaths. “More than 36% of workplace fatalities are the result of vehicle accidents and occupant safety belts can prevent nearly half these deaths,” she said. “In fact, once implemented, this standard will save more lives than any other OSHA standard.”
Rex Hardesty, information director of the AFL-CIO, said that his organization generally favors the rules and believes that the intent behind them is sound. But, unlike those who think the rules are too harsh, Hardesty said they are too weak.
The rules also should require vehicle maintenance to ensure safety of vehicles and the protection of workers, he said. The AFL-CIO will call for such a provision during the 120-day comment period, he said.
