LANSING -A few Republicans in the Michigan House lined up with Democrats in an effort to help lower the state's alarming death and injury rate among workers.

On March 21, an amendment to the state Department of Consumer and Industry Services' budget passed by the bare minimum number of votes in the state House to approve financing for an additional 15 workplace safety inspectors.

Supporters hope that the additional manpower will help improve Michigan's lousy record in workplace safety, but there probably won't be sufficient support for all or most of the additional inspectors when the bill hits the state Senate.

A total of 87 Michigan workers lost their lives in 1999 - an increase of 28 percent from the year before and the deadliest year for workers in the state in 20 years.

"While the rest of the nation improves safety in the workplace, more Michigan workers are dying on the job," said Rep. Deborah Cherry (D-Burton), who sponsored the amendment. "How long are we willing to let the death toll rise, before we do something about it?"

Of the 87 workers who died in 1999, 31 worked in the construction industry. In 1998, the construction industry claimed 29 lives, and in 1997 - the deadliest year for Michigan construction workers since 1985 - 34 workers were killed.

Of the proposed additional 15 workplace inspectors, five would go to the Construction Safety Division of MIOSHA, five to general industry and five would go to industrial hygiene.

The amendment passed the state House with the minimum number of votes needed, 56, including six Republicans. "It's a pretty slim chance this will pass the Senate," said Michigan AFL-CIO Legislative Director Tim Hughes. "Lawmakers tend to play politics with the vote. I thought even more House Republicans would have voted for it, because they know the number of inspectors is going to get reduced in the conference with the Senate."

Nationally, worker deaths are dropping. Using 1998 numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of U.S. fatal work injuries fell to 6,026 during 1998, about 3 percent below the previous year and the lowest count since the BLS survey began in 1992. The construction industry reported the largest number of fatal work injuries of any industry in 1998, 1,171.