Robert Pope had extra incentive to pay close attention Thursday to a conference at Richland Community College about workplace injuries.

Pope, a senior technician at Mueller Co., sits on the company's safety committee and job evaluation committee as a union representative for Paperworkers, Allied-Industrial Chemical and Energy Workers Local 6-0838.

A fatal accident Sept.. 29 at Mueller claimed the life of Dewitt Evans, 48, of Decatur. Evans was caught in a hydraulic press while performing maintenance. The death is under investigation by the company, the union, the Macon County Coroner's Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"I'm here to learn about new ergonomics laws and hear ideas about how to prevent injuries on the job," Pope said. He said he is not involved in the investigation of Evans' death, but the incident has put the whole company on alert.

Work Injury 2000 was the eight annual conference of its kind sponsored jointly by the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign and Midwest Occupational Health Associates. The focus was injuries of the upper extremities.

Presenters discussed carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow and shoulder pain, thumb and wrist problems, health screenings after a job offer, new ergonomic standards proposed by the federal government and other safety or prevention topics.

About 300 people from throughout Central Illinois packed the Shilling Center auditorium at Richland to hear the speakers.

Featured speakers included Anthony Erbacci, arbitrator with the Illinois Industrial Commission, which administers workers compensation claims. Erbacci discussed how her would decide two theoretical claim.

"We're trying to get people to sit down and talk about workers compensations cases and the common good of the worker," said Dr. David Fletcher, local physician and co-owner of the Decatur-based SHORE (Safety and Health Occupational Rehabilitation for Employees) Center.

Ergonomics, the science of fitting a task with the right worker under the right conditions, is a subject of debate in the presidential campaign.

Companies soon may be required to test employees to ensure they are not at risk of injury due to poor ergonomics. The new requirements have been proposed by President Bill Clinton's administration and are supported by Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential nominee. But Republicans in Congress and presidential nominee George W. Bush oppose the standards as a burden on small companies.

"I think it's necessary to have ergonomic standards, but they need some refinements," said Mike Landacre, a safety and environment administrator with Climate Control Inc. in Decatur.

Barry Salerno, a speaker from OSHA's Illinois office said 75 percent of companies have adopted strict ergonomic standards and would not be affected if the standards were made law. Salerno said the new standards would prevent 3 million injuries over 10 years, saving U.S. businesses $9 billion a year. On the other hand, the standards are expected to cost U.S. companies $4.2 billion a year.

Pope said simple changes in hand position while working can make a difference between crippling injury and health for workers.

He said his union has tried to convince Mueller to offer employees health and fitness program, such a discount at a local health club. Pope said he believes such a program would reduce injury-related expenses such as lost time on the job.

George Schindler, Mueller plant manager, said Thursday that Evans' death has shaken up the company.

"It will cause us to try to emphasize to everyone how important safety is. Everyone is very concerned," he said, adding that it is not known whether any actions Evans took or failed to take played a part in his death.

Schindler said the company has tried to offer a health club benefit to people without success.

"We worked out an arrangement with the local YMCA to get a group rate. On two different occasions we haven't had enough interest shown," Schindler said.