OH&S idea referenced in Strong Enough?

[Subby]

Coach Rip,

I'm reading through Strong Enough? at the moment and there's a half paragraph in the deadlift chapter where you reference the million dollar idea that you and Carla had teaching the deadlift to workers that never got off the ground.

I assume that was a long process of taking a good idea to various bureaucrats but failing due to the refusal to want to shift from a "blame workers for not following guidelines on what not to do" model to a "teach workers and assume some responsibility and blame for workers not being fit for task" model.

I've never heard or seen you make reference to anything around Workers Compensation/injuries or OSHA. It would seem that it would be fertile ground for another example of conventional wisdom in a field being completely backwards. Is there a story to tell beyond what was written in the half paragraph or was the above summary pretty much it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

It boiled down to the fact that there was too much liability and not enough money. Just one more bad idea I've had.

[Frank_B]

We convinced our corporate folks to allow us to build a gym with a squat rack. Initially, we were not allowed to do deadlifts, as they were deemed too dangerous. However, one of our senior management staff is a powerlifter, or was at some time, and somehow or another got approval for it. I wouldn’t say many people do it, but I’ve begun to gather a few hours a week coaching the lifts to various people because of it. No one has left their spine on the ceiling, so I think it’s pretty safe. I’d like to present data eventually showing a reduction in injuries but I need a lot more folks to deadlift. I do work a physical job and there does seem to be a basic understanding from management that stronger people are less injury prone, but it’s very, very basic.

[TommyGun]

That’s a very under rated book. Some hilarious stories in there along with great info about the lifts. It should get more love on the forums.