Immigrant Labor and Workplace Safety

30 Pages Posted: 7 Sep 1999

See all articles by Klaus F. Zimmermann

Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO); UNU-MERIT; Maastricht University, Department of Economics; Free University Berlin; University of Bonn; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Journal of Population Economics

Thomas K. Bauer

Rhine-Westphalia Institute for Economic Research (RWI-Essen); University of Bochum - Faculty of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Ralph Rotte

RWTH Aachen University - Institute for Political Science; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Andreas Million

University of Munich

Date Written: July 1999

Abstract

Using standard as well as recently developed univariate and bivariate count data models, this paper analyzes the determinants of workplace accidents using a firm data set for Germany. Given the tight system of public workplace safety regulation, introduced partly as early as in 1869, and the important role of foreign labor in manufacturing, the focus is on the impact of work organization and interdependence between native and foreign workers. The empirical results indicate that there are no significant differences between natives and foreign workers regarding technological determinants of workplace accidents. However, the employment of guestworkers has a strong positive effect on the job safety of natives. The estimates imply that a 1 percent increase in the employment of guestworkers is associated with a 0.4 percent decrease of severe accidents of natives.

JEL Classification: C25, C35, J28, L60

Suggested Citation

Zimmermann, Klaus F. and Bauer, Thomas K. and Rotte, Ralph and Million, Andreas, Immigrant Labor and Workplace Safety (July 1999). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=166548 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.166548

Klaus F. Zimmermann (Contact Author)

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Bonn
Germany

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UNU-MERIT ( email )

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Maastricht University, Department of Economics ( email )

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University of Bonn

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Journal of Population Economics

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Thomas K. Bauer

Rhine-Westphalia Institute for Economic Research (RWI-Essen) ( email )

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University of Bochum - Faculty of Economics ( email )

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

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Ralph Rotte

RWTH Aachen University - Institute for Political Science ( email )

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+49 241 80 221 62 (Fax)

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

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Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Andreas Million

University of Munich

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SELAPO
Munich 80539
Germany

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