The Declining Effects of Osha Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries: 1979 to 1998

33 Pages Posted: 23 Aug 2002 Last revised: 4 Dec 2022

See all articles by Wayne B. Gray

Wayne B. Gray

Clark University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

John Mendeloff

University of Pittsburgh - Graduate School of Public & International Affairs

Date Written: August 2002

Abstract

This study compares the impact of OSHA inspections on manufacturing industries using data from three time periods: 1979-85, 1987-91, and 1992-98. We find substantial declines in the impact of OSHA inspections since 1979-85. In the earliest period we estimate that having an OSHA inspection that imposed a penalty reduces injuries by about 15%; in the later periods it falls to 8% in 1987-91 and to 1% (and statistically insignificant) in 1992-98. Testing for different effects by inspection type, employment size, and industry, we find differences across size classes, but these cannot explain the overall decline. In fact, we find reductions in OSHA's impact over time for nearly all subgroups we examine, so shifts across subgroups cannot explain the whole decline. We examine various other hypotheses concerning the declining impact, but in the end we are not able to provide a clear explanation for the decline.

Suggested Citation

Gray, Wayne B. and Mendeloff, John, The Declining Effects of Osha Inspections on Manufacturing Injuries: 1979 to 1998 (August 2002). NBER Working Paper No. w9119, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=325945

Wayne B. Gray (Contact Author)

Clark University - Department of Economics ( email )

950 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610
United States
708-793-7693 (Phone)
708-793-8849 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

John Mendeloff

University of Pittsburgh - Graduate School of Public & International Affairs ( email )

3E34 Forbes Quad
Pittsburgh, PA 15260-0001
United States

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