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The Declining Effects of Osha Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries, 1979–1998

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  • Wayne B. Gray
  • John M. Mendeloff

Abstract

This study examines the impact of OSHA inspections on injuries in manufacturing plants. The authors use the same model and some of the same plant-level data employed by several earlier studies that found large effects of OSHA inspections on injuries for 1979–85. These new estimates indicate that an OSHA inspection imposing a penalty reduced lost-workday injuries by about 19% in 1979–85, but that this effect fell to 11% in 1987–91, and to a statistically insignificant 1% in 1992–98. The authors cannot fully explain this overall decline, which they find for nearly all subgroups they examine—by inspection type, establishment size, and industry, for example. Among other findings are that, across the years studied, inspections with penalties were more effective than those without, and the effects on injury rates were greater in smaller plants and nonunion plants than in large plants and union plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Wayne B. Gray & John M. Mendeloff, 2005. "The Declining Effects of Osha Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries, 1979–1998," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(4), pages 571-587, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:58:y:2005:i:4:p:571-587
    DOI: 10.1177/001979390505800403
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gray, Wayne B & Jones, Carol Adaire, 1991. "Are OSHA Health Inspections Effective? A Longitudinal Study in the Manufacturing Sector," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(3), pages 504-508, August.
    2. David Weil, 1996. "If OSHA Is So Bad, Why is Compliance So Good?," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 27(3), pages 618-640, Autumn.
    3. Scholz, John T & Gray, Wayne B, 1990. "OSHA Enforcement and Workplace Injuries: A Behavioral Approach to Risk Assessment," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 283-305, September.
    4. Ruser, John W & Smith, Robert S, 1988. "The Effect of OSHA Records-Check Inspections on Reported Occupational Injuries in Manufacturing Establishments," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 1(4), pages 415-435, December.
    5. Bartel, Ann P & Thomas, Lacy Glenn, 1985. "Direct and Indirect Effects of Regulation: A New Look at OSHA's Impact," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(1), pages 1-25, April.
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    Cited by:

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