Title,Citation,Topic_area,Study_type,Study_evidence_rating,Outcome_effectiveness,Findings,Intervention_program,Topics,Target_population,Firm_characteristics,Geographic_setting,Original_publication_date,Original_publication_link "Gasper, J., & Henderson, K. (2014). Sector-focused career centers evaluation: Effects on employment and earnings after one year.","Gasper, J., & Henderson, K. (2014). Sector-focused career centers evaluation: Effects on employment and earnings after one year. New York: New York City Center for Economic Opportunity. Retrieved from http://www.nyc.gov/html/ceo/downloads/pdf/CEO-Sector_Based_Approaches_Evaluation_Report-2014_final.pdf.","Low-Income Adults","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of sector-focused career centers in New York City on employment and earnings. The authors estimated the effect of sector-focused career centers by comparing employment and earnings outcomes captured in New York State unemployment insurance data among participants in New York City sector-focused career centers against the outcomes for individuals served by New York City career centers without a specific sector focus who were deemed similar in terms of initial characteristics to the sector-focused group. This review was conducted in collaboration with the Employment Strategies for Low-Income Adults Evidence Review (ESER). Because ESER did not report findings for studies that received a low causal evidence rating, the CLEAR profile does not report the findings either. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not demonstrate that the groups were similar at baseline or make statistical adjustments for differences between the two groups in the analyses. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to sector-focused career centers; other factors are likely to have contributed.","New York City Sector-focused Career Centers","Job search assistance and supportive services Other employment and reemployment","Low income","Manufacturing, Health care and social assistance, Transportation and warehousing","Urban, United States",2014,http://www.nyc.gov/html/ceo/downloads/pdf/CEO-Sector_Based_Approaches_Evaluatio… "A comparison of student outcomes and overall retention between a 10-week accelerated and a 15-week traditional curriculum in a postsecondary apprenticeship training program","Adams, G. (2013). A comparison of student outcomes and overall retention between a 10-week accelerated and a 15-week traditional curriculum in a postsecondary apprenticeship training program (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. (Accession No. 3575536).","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Training-Low-Favorable impacts Training","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of compressed delivery of a World Class Shipbuilding apprenticeship program on program retention. The Apprentice School of Newport News Shipbuilding compressed its delivery of program instructional hours from 75 weeks (five 15-week terms) to 40 weeks (four 10-week terms) in January 2009. The author compared administrative data on program completion for all apprentices who enrolled at the school from January 2004 to December 2008 (the comparison group) with those who enrolled from January 2009 to June 2012 (the treatment group). The study found that students who enrolled in the 40-week program were 17 percentage points more likely to be retained in the program than students who enrolled in the 75-week program, a statistically significant finding. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the treatment and comparison groups were not equivalent before the intervention, and the author did not adjust for these differences during analysis. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the compression of the apprenticeship program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Apprentice School of Newport News Shipbuilding","Registered apprenticeship Work based and other occupational training",Adult,Manufacturing,"United States",2013, "A new estimate of the impact of OSHA inspections on manufacturing injury rates, 1998-2005","Haviland, A., Burns, R., Gray, W., Ruder, T., & Mendeloff, J. (2012). A new estimate of the impact of OSHA inspections on manufacturing injury rates, 1998-2005. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 55(11), 964-975.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine the effect of OSHA inspections on injuries in single-facility manufacturing firms in Pennsylvania between 1998 and 2005. The study used a regression model to compare the changes in workplace injuries of firms that had received particular types of inspections to those that had not received those types of inspections. The study found that inspections with penalties were associated with a statistically significantly decrease in injuries by an average of 19 to 24 percent annually in the two years after the inspection. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in workplace injuries between firms that received particular types of OSHA inspections and firms that did not receive those types of inspections are attributable to the inspections.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",2012, "Tuning in to local labor markets: Findings from the Sectoral Employment impact study","Maguire, S., Freely, J., Clymer, C., Conway, M. & Schwartz, D. (2010). Tuning in to local labor markets: Findings from the Sectoral Employment impact study. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures. [Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership]","Apprenticeship and Work-Based Training","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership’s (WRTP) sectoral employment program on earnings and employment. The authors investigated similar research questions with two other programs, the profiles of which are available through the study search. The study was based on a randomized controlled trial, with the authors estimating the effect of offering eligible WRTP applicants the program by using survey data to compare average outcomes among those offered access to the program against the average outcomes of those not offered access, after adjusting for differences between the groups. The study found that being offered access to the WRTP’s sectoral employment program increased earnings by $6,255, on average, over the two years after acceptance to the program. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the WRTP’s sectoral employment program, and not to other factors.","the WRTP Sectoral Employment Program","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education","Low income","Construction, Manufacturing, Health care and social assistance","United States",2010,https://www.explorevr.org/sites/explorevr.org/files/files/Tuning%20In%20to%20Lo… "Simplification and saving","Beshears, J., Choi, J., Laibson, D., & Madrian, B. (2010). Simplification and saving. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.","Behavioral Finance: Retirement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Employer benefits receipt-Low-Favorable impacts Employer benefits receipt","Summary: The study’s key objective was to examine the impact of Quick Enrollment, an option enabling individuals to more quickly and easily enroll in a retirement savings plan, on plan enrollment rates and contribution levels at two firms in the United States (companies A and B). The study also examined the impact of Easy Escalation, an option enabling individuals to quickly increase their retirement-plan contribution levels to a predetermined percentage of pay, on contribution rates. The analysis was based on data on enrollment in and contributions to retirement plans from Hewitt Associates, a benefits administration and consulting firm. The study used an interrupted time series (ITS) design, analyzing changes in outcomes before and after the implementation of Quick Enrollment or Easy Escalation. The study found that Quick Enrollment increased enrollment rates by 10 to 20 percentage points and that Easy Escalation increased the percentage of employees contributing to their savings plans at the higher, predetermined rate specified by Easy Escalation.  The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to Quick Enrollment or Easy Escalation. Other factors are likely to have contributed to the changes in enrollment and contribution rates.","the Quick Enrollment and Easy Escalation","Employer provided retirement benefits",Employed,"Health care and social assistance, Manufacturing","United States",2010, "What kinds of injuries do OSHA inspections prevent? ","Haviland, A., Burns, R., Gray, W., Ruder, T., & Mendeloff, J. (2010). What kinds of injuries do OSHA inspections prevent? Journal of Safety Research, 41(4), 339-345.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine whether OSHA inspections that resulted in penalties or citations prevented specific types of workplace injuries. The study used a regression model to compare the changes in the workplace injuries in single-facility manufacturing firms that had received an inspection that resulted in a penalty or citation to changes in firms that had not received a penalty or citation. The group of firms that had not received a penalty or citation combined two types of firms: firms that had not been inspected and firms that received inspections that did not result in a penalty or citation. The study found that inspections that imposed penalties were associated with statistically significant reductions in the rates of all types of injuries examined. Among the specific citations studied, only citations for violating the general standard for personal protective equipment were associated with reduced injury rates. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that OSHA inspections that resulted in penalties or citations caused the reductions in workplace injuries.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",2010, "Inside the black box: How do OSHA inspections lead to reductions in workplace injuries?","Mendeloff, J., & Gray, W. (2005). Inside the black box: How do OSHA inspections lead to reductions in workplace injuries? Law and Policy, 27(2), 219-237.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effects of OSHA inspections that resulted in penalties or citations on the types of injuries workers suffered. The study used a regression model to compare the changes in workplace injuries of manufacturing firms that had received an inspection that resulted in a penalty or citation to those that had not received a penalty or citation. The group of firms that had not received a penalty or citation combined two types of firms: firms that had not been inspected and firms that received inspections that did not result in a penalty or citation. The study found that OSHA inspections that resulted in a penalty were associated with statistically significant decreases in lost-workday injuries. Among the specific citations studied, citations for the standards for general requirements for personal protective equipment and general machine guarding were associated with statistically significant reductions in some types of lost-workday injuries. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that OSHA inspections that resulted in penalties or citations caused the reductions in workplace injuries.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",2005, "The declining effects of OSHA inspections on manufacturing injuries, 1979-1998","Gray, W., & Mendeloff, J. (2005). The declining effects of OSHA inspections on manufacturing injuries, 1979-1998. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 58(4), 571-587.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of federal OSHA inspections in manufacturing establishments on workplace injuries during three separate time periods: 1979–1985, 1987–1991, and 1992–1998. The study used a regression model to compare the changes in workplace injuries in manufacturing establishments that had received an inspection within the past four years to those in establishments that had not received inspections. The study found that OSHA inspections were associated with statistically significant reductions in lost-workday injuries of 10 percent in 1979–1985 and 4 percent in 1987–1991, but had no statistically significant effect on these injuries in 1992–1998. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in workplace injuries between firms that did and did not receive OSHA inspections are attributable to the inspections.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",2005,http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1140&context=… "Effect of state workplace safety laws on occupational injury rates","Smitha, M., Kirk, K., Oestenstad, K., Brown, K., & Lee, S. (2001). Effect of state workplace safety laws on occupational injury rates. Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine, 43(12), 1001-1010.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of four types of mandatory state workplace safety interventions on occupational injury rates in manufacturing industries. The study used a regression model to compare differences in injury rates for industries in which higher or lower percentages of the workforce were affected by the four mandatory safety requirements. The study found that the mandatory safety committee requirements were associated with statistically significant decreases in injury rates; the other three initiatives were not. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in injury rates between industries in states with the mandatory safety laws and industries in states without these laws are attributable solely to the laws.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",2001, "Re-estimating OSHA’s Effects: Have the data changed?","Ruser, J. & Smith, R. (1991). Re-estimating OSHA’s effects: Have the data changed? Journal of Human Resources, 26(2), 212-235.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-No impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine the effect of OSHA inspections and inspection procedures on injury rates in manufacturing firms between 1980 and 1985. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. For their main analysis, the authors used a regression model to compare differences in injury rates for manufacturing plants that received inspections in March and April (“early”) and those that received inspections in November and December (“late”) of the same year. The study found that, relative to late OSHA inspections, early OSHA inspections were not associated with a statistically significantly reduction in injury rates within the year of inspection. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the estimated relationships in this study are the result of OSHA inspections and procedures.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1991, "The effect of OSHA records-check inspections on reported occupational injuries in manufacturing establishments","Ruser, J., & Smith, R. (1988). The effect of OSHA records-check inspections on reported occupational injuries in manufacturing establishments. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 1(4), 415–435.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Mixed impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to determine whether OSHA’s records-check procedure—which was introduced in 1981 in states with federal OSHA enforcement and targeted inspections based on reports of past injuries—caused manufacturing plants to underreport injuries. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did around the time of the records-check procedure’s implementation, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. The authors used several approaches, the strongest of which compared the percentage change in lost-workday injury rates in the years when the plant’s state had a records-check procedure and the years when the state did not have this procedure. The study found no statistically significant differences between the percentage change in reported injury rates in plants in states with the records-check procedure and plants in states without this procedure. However, plants in risky industries in records-check states reported a statistically significant 4.7 percent reduction in injury rates. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that any changes in reported injuries within plants in records-check states or in risky industries in records-check states could be attributed to the records-check procedure.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1988, "Safety Regulation and Workplace Injuries","Curington, W. (1986). Safety regulation and workplace injuries. Southern Economic Journal, 53(1), 51.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of the introduction of OSHA regulation in 1971 on the severity and frequency of workplace injuries in manufacturing industries in New York. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. The study used a regression model to examine the change in the frequency and severity of injuries from the period 1964 to 1970 compared with 1971 to 1976, which represent the time periods before and after the implementation of OSHA standards. The study found that the implementation of OSHA standards was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the average frequency or the severity of all injuries. The study found a statistically significant association between implementation of OSHA standards and a reduction in ""struck by machine"" injuries. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in injuries from the period 1964 to 1970 compared with 1971 to 1976 are attributable to the introduction of OSHA standards.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1986, "The impact of Occupational Safety and Health regulations, 1973-1983","Viscusi, W. (1986). The impact of Occupational Safety and Health regulations, 1973-1983. RAND Journal of Economics, 17(4), 567–580.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Low-Mixed impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine changes in the effects of OSHA inspections and penalties on injury rates in manufacturing industries between 1973 and 1983. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. The study used a regression model to examine the changes in injury rates in manufacturing industries associated with higher and lower rates of OSHA inspections and penalties during the prior two years. The study found that the evidence of the effectiveness of OSHA inspections and penalties in reducing injuries was mixed, and the effects of OSHA enforcement activities on most outcomes varied over time. The quality of the causal evidence presented in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in injuries within industries are attributable to the inspections or penalties.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Other health and safety Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1986, "An assessment of OSHA’s recent effects on injury rates","McCaffrey, D. (1983). An assessment of OSHA’s recent effects on injury rates. Journal of Human Resources, 18(1), 131-146.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Mod/high-No impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of OSHA inspections on injury rates in manufacturing and construction firms from 1976 to 1978. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. The author used a regression model to compare the differences in injury rates of manufacturing and construction firms that received inspections in March and April (“early”) with those that received inspections in November and December (“late”). The study found that, relative to late OSHA inspections, early OSHA inspections were not associated with a statistically significantly reduction in injury rates within the year of inspection. The quality of causal evidence for some analyses presented in this study is moderate because the analyses used a well-conducted nonexperimental design. This means we have confidence that these findings provide some evidence that OSHA inspections had no effect on injury rates.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Workplace injury",Employed,"Construction, Manufacturing","United States",1983, "Worker injuries: The effects of Workers’ Compensation and OSHA inspections","Robertson, L., & Keeve, J. (1983). Worker injuries: The effects of Workers' Compensation and OSHA inspections. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 8(3), 581-597.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence","Employment-Low-Favorable impacts Employment Health and safety-Low-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study had two objectives: (1) to examine the effect of OSHA citations on injuries (method 1) and (2) to examine the effect of changes in OSHA inspections on changes in days of work lost because of injuries (method 2). Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during the study period, the study provides historical context for the program. Method 1 used a regression model to compare injuries across three firms from 1973 to 1980. Method 2 used a different regression model to compare changes in work days lost because of injuries from 1975 to 1976 to changes in OSHA inspections during the same period, using data at the industry-by-state level. The study found that firms had 35.8 fewer injuries in the years in which they received a citation; however, citations in past years were not significantly related to current year injuries. One additional OHSA inspection was associated with a 2.8 day reduction in the number of work days lost because of injuries.  The quality of causal evidence presented by both methods in this study is low. This means we are not confident that the differences in workplace injuries or lost work days are attributable to OSHA citations or inspections.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1983, "The Impact of OSHA Inspections on Manufacturing Injury Rates","Smith, R (1979). The Impact of OSHA Inspections on Manufacturing Injury Rates. Journal of Human Resources, 14(2),  145-170.","OSHA Enforcement","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the effect of OSHA inspections on injury rates in manufacturing firms in 1973 and 1974. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this study provides historical context for changes that were later made to the program. The authors used a regression model to compare the differences in injury rates of firms that received inspections in March and April (“early”) and those that received inspections in November and December (“late”). The study found that in 1973, firms receiving early inspections had significantly lower injury rates that year than those that were inspected later in the year. However, in 1974, firms inspected early and late in the year had similar injury rates. The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is moderate because the study used a well-conducted nonexperimental design. This means we have confidence that the effects estimated in this study are attributable at least in part to OSHA inspections. However, as with any nonexperimental study design, other factors not accounted for in the study could also have contributed to the estimated effects.","OSHA Enforcement Activities","Inspections Workplace injury",Employed,Manufacturing,"United States",1979,