Barring a court order that would overturn OSHA's new ergonomics standard, processors must have an ergonomics program in place by October. Just how tall of an order is compliance?
Either way, on January 16 -- the day that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) controversial new Ergonomic Program Standard became effective - not a word on the matter was uttered by the incoming Bush administration, the outgoing Clinton administration, nor by the New York Times, CNN or any other major news organization. The silence was deafening, considering how loudly and rancorously the issue was debated last fall among Washington power brokers, politicians, union groups and dozens of manufacturing interests.