As part of last month's elections, 53% of voters in Washington State voted to repeal the state's existing ergonomics regulations. The initiative, known as measure 841, also directed the State's "department of labor and industries not to adopt new ergonomics regulations unless a uniform federal standard is required." Washington was one of two states in the country with ergonomics regulations in place. Leading up to the vote, The Seattle Times called the existing regulations, put in place in 2000, "overreaching, vague and costly."