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The Effect of Workplace Inspections on Worker Safety

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Abstract

The Occupation Safety and Health Administration enforces safety regulations through workplace inspections. To identify the effect of inspections on worker safety, this study exploits quasi-experimental variation in inspections due to OSHA’s Site Specific Targeting plan. The SST plan used establishment-level data on accidents and injuries to target establishments for inspection. The primary inspection list consisted of establishments with case rates exceeding a cutoff. This cutoff generated a discontinuous increase in inspections, which is used to identify the effect of inspections on worker safety. Using the fuzzy regression discontinuity design and local linear regression, the estimated effect of an inspection on cases involving days away from work, job restrictions, and job transfers is -1.607 per 100 full-time equivalent workers. The effect is most pronounced among manufacturing establishments below the 90th percentile of the case-rate distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Ling Li & Perry Singleton, 2017. "The Effect of Workplace Inspections on Worker Safety," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 201, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
    • Handle: RePEc:max:cprwps:201
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    File URL: https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/230/
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    Cited by:

    1. Islam, Asadul & Lee, Wang-Sheng & Triyana, Margaret & Xia, Xing, 2023. "Improving Health and Safety in the Informal Sector: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 16150, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Ling Li & Shawn Rohlin & Perry Singleton, 2017. "Labor Unions and Occupational Safety: Event-Study Analysis Using Union Elections," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 205, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
    3. Amin, Md Ruhul & Kim, Incheol & Lee, Suin, 2021. "Local religiosity, workplace safety, and firm value," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    4. Kerwin Kofi Charles & Matthew S. Johnson & Melvin Stephens & Do Q. Lee, 2022. "Demand Conditions and Worker Safety: Evidence from Price Shocks in Mining," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(1), pages 47-94.
    5. Perry Singleton, 2021. "Behavioral Bias in Occupational Fatality Risk: Theory, Evidence, and Implications," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 242, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
    6. Karolien van Nunen & Genserik Reniers & Koen Ponnet, 2022. "Measuring Safety Culture Using an Integrative Approach: The Development of a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework and an Applied Safety Culture Assessment Instrument," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-39, October.
    7. Fan, Di & Yeung, Andy C.L. & Yiu, Daphne W. & Lo, Chris K.Y., 2022. "Safety regulation enforcement and production safety: The role of penalties and voluntary safety management systems," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    8. Lai, Tat-kei & Lu, Yi & Ng, Travis, 2022. "Import Competition and Workplace Safety in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 24-42.
    9. Ling Li & Shawn Rohlin & Perry Singleton, 2022. "Labor Unions and Workplace Safety," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(2), pages 402-426, March.
    10. Amanda M. Grittner & Matthew S. Johnson, 2021. "When Labor Enforcement and Immigration Enforcement Collide: Deterring Worker Complaints Worsens Workplace Safety," Upjohn Working Papers 21-353, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    11. Anja Bondebjerg & Trine Filges & Jan Hyld Pejtersen & Malene Wallach Kildemoes & Hermann Burr & Peter Hasle & Emile Tompa & Elizabeth Bengtsen, 2023. "Occupational health and safety regulatory interventions to improve the work environment: An evidence and gap map of effectiveness studies," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), December.
    12. Matthew S. Johnson & David I. Levine & Michael W. Toffel, 2023. "Improving Regulatory Effectiveness through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 30-67, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    OSHA; Worker Safety; Regression Discontinuity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law

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