Reason Prevails!
The metalforming industry's outlook, particularly in the state of Michigan, is brighter today than it was a month ago. So is the state's economic future. It's all because of a regulation that wasn't adopted.
A couple of years ago, a tragic accident involving a power press occurred in a Michigan metalforming plant. Understandably, the incident received widespread publicity. The media -- particularly the Detroit Free Press -- and the unions -- particularly the United Auto Workers -- urged strong regulatory action to prevent a recurrence.
Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA) convened an advisory committee to review the state's power press regulations. The committee quickly and unanimously supported a proposal to eliminate "hands-in-die" feeding of presses, and expected to see it implemented within a year.
The "no-hands-in-dies" concept is an extreme measure that has been debated at the federal level for years. It has been shown to be technically and economically infeasible in many instances. (Manual feeding of power presses is permitted under federal OSHA.)
While some Michigan metalforming operations -- particularly those with long runs and extensive automation -- would be affected little by "no-hands-in-dies," it has been confirmed that a large portion of the metalforming industry -- especially the smaller companies serving the automotive and furniture industries -- would be severely impacted.
In fact, an independent economic impact study showed that the proposal could have cost Michigan metalforming companies more than $6.6 million in compliance costs and lost productivity, and could have cost the state more than 96,000 jobs.
Responding to the needs of its Michigan members, Precision Metalforming Association entered the discussions in opposition to the "no-hands-in-dies" proposal. Members of the industry were surveyed, and a task force of more than 30 companies was established. A grassroots education program helped mayors, state legislators, jobs commission personnel and other government officials understand the truly negative implications of the proposal.
Task force members, with the assistance of PMA staff and other metalforming companies, provided more than 600 pages of testimony and more than 50 oral arguments against the proposal during economic impact hearings.
At its meeting last month, after due deliberation, the advisory committee decisively voted down the proposal that would have eliminated manufacturers' ability to manually feed mechanical power presses. The vote was 6 to 1.
Happily, there are many winners. The metalforming industry, the thousands of potentially affected workers and their families, and the state's manufacturing economy. Moreover, metalforming companies (and their employees) all over North America are less threatened today because this well-intentioned, innocent-looking, but seriously flawed regulatory proposal was prevented from taking root in Michigan.
Jon E. Jenson, President
Precision Metalforming Association