Repetitive Stress

The April 9 editorial, “A Neglected Mountain of Pain,” correctly identifies a growing epidemic of repetitive stress injuries among American workers that consumes one of every three workers’ compensation dollars.

However, The Times incorrectly blames the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for retreating from its effort to establish a workplace ergonomics standard to prevent such injuries. The truth is that since last summer the conservative Republican congressional majority has attached riders to appropriation bills prohibiting OSHA from developing, promulgating and issuing such a standard or even issuing voluntary guidelines. In fact, the riders also prohibit the collection of data on repetitive stress injuries. OSHA cannot move on this until such amendments are removed.

MARIANNE P. BROWN, Director

UCLA-Labor Occupational Safety

and Health Program

School of Public Policy

and Social Research