Lansing, MI – Following through on a promise he made shortly after being elected, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) on March 22 signed into law a bill prohibiting the promulgation of a workplace ergonomics standard within the state.
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration had been pursuing an ergonomics standard for general industry. In addition to banning a standard, the bill (S. 20) allows MIOSHA to issue guidance or best-practice information on workplace ergonomics; however, the agency is prohibited from issuing guidance that would exceed federal OSHA recommendations.
In his State of the State address Jan. 19, Snyder said he would stop efforts to create an ergonomics standard. Federal OSHA does not have an ergonomics standard. California, a state-run program, is the only state that does.
