European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 29, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 29, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 7 labor department denies urgent bid on motion injury by Frank Swoboda the Washington Post Washington the labor department has turned Down a petition for an emergency health and safety Standard to Deal with the continuing Rise in the number of repetitive motion injuries in the workplace. A coalition of 31 labor unions petitioned labor Secretary Lynn Morley Martin last july for an emergency temporary Standard on ergonomic hazards to protect workers from repetitive motion injuries. Such a Standard would be in effect for six months while the government developed permanent regulations to Deal with the problem. In turning Down the request for an emergency Standard in her letter of april 17, Martin said that although repetitive motion injuries Are on the Rise the government simply does no to know enough about them to begin developing regulations for the workplace. She said it would take More than six months just to implement what the unions were asking for in their petition. An emergency Standard would have required All employers to set up a process to identify ergonomic hazards and provide a medical education program on cumulative trauma disorders. In her letter to William Wynn president of the United food and commercial workers Union which had filed the petition on behalf of the coalition Martin said a Yosha concludes that while the data presented in your petition and other information currently available support initiation of. Rule making there is not sufficient basis for the issuance of an emergency temporary  the Secretary said however that the department would seek Public comments on the problem As a prelude to drafting regulations. Martin told the unions that a very shortly we will be publishing an advanced notice of proposed Rule making in order to gather information needed to develop a proposed Standard on ergonomic safety and health  the department made the same Promise a year ago. Debbie Berkowitz health and safety director of the United food and commercial workers said the unions were disappointed with Martins response. Berkowitz said the labor groups held out Little Hope from the Start that the department would Issue an emergency Standard because of the Tough Legal tests required for such an action. But she said Martins response gave no sense of urgency on the part of the department. A it took the admin action eight months to respond to this petition a Berkowitz said. A the letter is noticeable for its omission of any time line any deadline a they Haven to used the petition As a reason to move ahead a she said. A this is the most prevalent occupational illness in the  repetitive motion injuries now account for More than half of All reported Job related injuries and illnesses. The number of such reports increased fivefold this is the most prevalent occupational illness in the nation a Union safety official Debbie Berkowitz during the 1980s, and the rate continues to Rise. The injuries which can be permanent if not treated Early cause damage to the hands wrists shoulders and Back. These so called a nerve entrapment injuries Are caused by continuously repeated motions on the Job and Are not restricted to workers in particular industries. Although Early government enforcement efforts were focused in the meatpacking and poultry industries the problem has been showing up in industries ranging from construction and general manufacturing to data processing to supermarket checkout counters. The rising injury rate has been particularly noticeable among office workers using video display terminals. Until the mid-1980s, these injuries generally were believed to be the result of the Normal Wear and tear on the human body particularly among older workers and not necessarily work related. In its petition the unions cited figures from the labor departments Bureau of labor statistics showing that Over the past decade the number of reported repetitive motion injuries had risen to 52 percent of All reported occupational illnesses in 1989 from 18 percent in 1981. In the five year period from 1985 through 1989, certain industries showed huge increases in the number of reported repetitive motion injuries according to the Bureau bakery products 755 percent menus and boys work clothing 3,172 percent shipbuilding and repairing 1,010 percent motor vehicle manufacturing 2,519 percent and rubber and plastic footwear 2,530 percent. Most often the solution to the problem is through redesigning the work. This has Given Rise to the growing prominence of ergonomist who Are hired by companies to redesign the Way work is performed by adapting equipment to the limits of the human body rather than forcing the worker to adapt to the configuration of a machine. The labor department in recent years has reached settlement agreements in the meatpacking and Auto industries that require major compliance programs from companies such As Ford motor co., Chrysler corp., general motors co., Imp inc. And John Morrell amp co. Imp is a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum corp. John Morrell is a subsidiary of Chiquita brands International. Hopes for luxury liner s return kept afloat by turkish investor Newport news a. Up a the is United states the largest luxury liner Ever built in America and the Holder of oceanic crossing records was saved from the scrap pile by a turkish shipyard owner who wants to return the once elegant ship to service. The super liner which last sailed in 1969, has been berthed at a Coal pier owned by Cox transportation a subsidiary of Cox corp., since 1989. When its owner went bankrupt Cox moved to have the ship sold at auction so it could evict the 990-foot vessel and collect roughly $250,000 in Back rent. Widely expected to go for scrap because of extensive Asbestos contamination and a general state of disrepair scrap dealers from around the world were topped after two dozen bids by a $2.6 million offer from Kahraman Sadik Oglu. Sadik Oglu owner of the Turku shipyard a the largest in Turkey a said monday that he planned to spend $140 million to return the ship to cruise and possibly trans Atlantic service. He said since labor rates Are lower in his Yard than in the United states he could swing the Deal. After the bidding he acknowledged it was a lot of Money but added a today to build such a ship one needs about $500  Money from the bid will first go to . Marshals who have kept the vessel secure during bankruptcy proceedings then to Cox for rent. After expenses the rest will go to the finnish Bank that held a $6 million mortgage on the ship. Bidding for Sadik Oglu was a new York businessman Fred Mayer who came to the United states from Yugoslavia in 1963 aboard the liner. He said it was an emotional Day for him. A a we re hoping to put it Back in service a he said. Sadik Oglu paid 20 percent Down getting $70,000 wired and presenting a certified Check for $450,000.scientologists suing time Magazine for libel from wire reports new York the Church of scientology is suing time Magazine for $416 million Over a cover Story titled a the cult of  the 1991 article was a a Hatchet Job Quot the Church alleged in a libel suit filed monday in Federal court. The article called scientology a Quot hugely profitable global Racket that survives by intimidating  it said the group founded by the late science fiction writer l. Ron Hubbard induces members to sign up for costly counselling sessions Sells them expensive books and a attracts the unwary through a network of profit making businesses with hidden tics to  a Puzzle Atlanta a for a while the Atlanta Board of astrology had City Hall mystified. No records could be found about the Board which has existed for at least 10 years. The names of the boards three members and How they were chosen also was a mystery to City officials until recently. More information came to Light last week As today a deadline approached for members of the City a 34 boards and commissions to file personal financial disclosure reports or face fines of $50 a Day. The astrology Board turned up and its chairman does no to think much of the new disclosure requirement. A a it a not like they pay us to do anything a said Mikki Sligh. A we exist mainly to provide some Way for the profession to Monitor the practice of astrology and give it some  Las vegas also has a panel to certify its astrologers Sligh said. In Atlanta the Board members must be astrologers practising in the City. They administer one test a year for prospective  killed by train Pascagoula miss. A a 30-year-old Man refused to get off a Railroad track until he finished rolling a cigarette and he was killed by a train police said. The trains conductor and brakeman said they saw Ricky Brynt trying to pull Jeffrey Scott Jackson away from the tracks thursday evening. They were not Able to Stop the train before it hit Jackson police said. Police said Brynt 34, told investigators that he and Jackson of Pascagoula were sitting on the tracks when they heard the train coming. Brynt told Jackson that they should get up but Jackson said he wanted to finish rolling his  going Home soon Dallas a Gold and Gem Laden medieval treasures that were stolen from Germany at the end of world War ii Drew More than 30,000 visitors during a seven week exhibition and soon will be returned to Germany. The nine artefacts including a 1513 manuscript in a jewelled Case were constructed of Gold Silver Ivory and Crystal Between the eighth and 16th centuries. Some were constructed during the Rule of Charlemagne and Otto i. Army it. Joe Meador took them in 1945 from a mine Shaft where they were stored during the War. The lutheran Church of que Linburg Germany sued Meadors heirs in 1990 to recover them. The family agreed to give them Back in return for almost $3 million lawyers said earlier this year. As part of the settlement the Dallas museum of Art put the treasures on exhibit March 7. The exhibition closed sunday.5th Accident victim Dies new York apr a fifth victim has died of injuries suffered when a runaway car slowed through a crowded Greenwich Village Park. Bryant Fonseca who turned 20 on saturday died of head injuries sunday at Bellevue medical Center. The car careened through Washington Square Park on a sunny afternoon thursday. The 74-year-old Driver Stella Maychick has not been charged. Investigators have not determined what went wrong but ruled out mechanical failure