LANSING ? Michigan could yet see rules requiring businesses to implement ergonomics programs. True to her word, Gov. Jennifer Granholm is disregarding language in the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth 2009-10 budget prohibiting spending on the rules. And true to their history, business groups continue efforts to block them.
Doug Kalinowski with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration said a regulatory impact statement, the next step before officially offering the rules, should be completed by early February.
The department is currently reviewing a draft of the report, but Kalinowski said the agency is ensuring that the assumptions used in determining possible costs to the state and to businesses are appropriate before releasing the report.
With the regulatory impact statement, the rules could begin their trip through the promulgation process.
Charles Owens, state director for the National Federation of Independent Business and a lead voice in opposing the rules, said business groups were not likely to try to block the process by citing the budget language, as that tactic has failed in the past.
Business is instead hoping to convince the state to wait for federal rules before taking any action.
“Even if there is a fed standard, ours would be more stringent,” he said of the drafts of the rules that have been working through the industry safety commissions.
But he expected the department would want to complete its work before the end of the year. “The new governor coming in isn’t going to tolerate this kind of nonsense,” he said, arguing even a Democrat would accept business arguments that the rules would hamper business development.
Unions and some business officials have said the rules are needed to better ensure workplace safety.
This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com
a>>
