No decision on how the Department of Labor plans to address workplace ergonomics will be made until later this fall, due to the tragic events of September 11, according to a statement released by the department on September 21.

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao had committed to making a decision by the end of September. But department and OSHA personnel have been heavily involved in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center and Pentagon, preventing full attention to be given to the ergo issue, according to the department.