OSHA has announced a 45-day extension of the comment period on the agency's draft guidelines for preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the retail grocery store industry.

OSHA received several requests asking for additional time to comment on the draft guidelines first published May 9. Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders: Draft Guidelines for Retail Grocery Stores is now available for comment until Aug. 22, 2003.

OSHA has scheduled a public stakeholder meeting on Sept. 18, 2003, to discuss the draft guidelines. The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Avenue, NW, in Washington.

Persons wishing to comment on the draft retail grocery store ergonomics guidelines should submit three copies of those comments no later than Aug. 22, 2003 to: OSHA Docket Office, Docket GE2003-1, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Comments of 10 pages or fewer may be submitted via fax by calling (202) 693-1648. Finally, comments and information on ones intention to participate in the stakeholder meeting can also be sent electronically to http://ecomments.osha.gov.