Established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA’s mission is “to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” This topic area focuses on research determining the effectiveness of different OSHA-led enforcement activities in reducing the occurrence of workplace illnesses, injuries, exposure to hazards, and/or deaths.
OSHA Enforcement
Status: Literature reviewed in this topic area currently covers 1979 - 2012.
Synthesis Reports
Synthesis reports look at the research evidence across studies within a topic area. They also highlight gaps in the literature, and suggest areas in which further research is needed.
198
Findings:
According to the research, there is some evidence that OSHA inspections reduce injury rates, on average.
Some recent research has strong current relevance and provides valuable descriptive information, but low causal evidence on the impact of inspections.
There is little information on the characteristics of OSHA inspections and other OSHA activities.
View full synthesis report: Evidence on the Effects of OSHA Activities
Recently Added
CLEAR searches the existing literature for research relevant to this topic area's focus. Browse the most recently reviewed research below.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 29
Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study's objective was to examine the impact of surprise plant inspections conducted by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on plants’ fatality rates and average…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impact of a ban on spray-on asbestos materials, implemented under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), on health and safety outcomes for…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine differences in hospital worker exposures to ethylene oxide (EtO) after the implementation of the 1984 and 1988 OSHA EtO standards. The authors used a random…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of random OSHA inspections on firms’ injury-related outcomes and performance. To do this, the authors used a regression model to compare changes over…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
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…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to determine the impact of inspections and consultations by Washington State’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) on workers’ compensation claim rates and…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
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…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of the sequence and timing of OSHA inspections on compliance with OSHA standards, as measured by the number of violations cited during an inspection.…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to determine if workplace fatalities were lower in states with federal or state enforcement of Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. The study…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
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–…
CLEAR Icon Key
Below is a key for icons used to indicate important details about a study, such as its type, evidence rating, and outcome findings.
High Causal Evidence
Strong evidence the effects are caused by the examined intervention.
Moderate Causal Evidence
Evidence that the effects are caused to some degree by the examined intervention.
Low Causal Evidence
Little evidence that the effects are caused by the examined intervention.
Causal Impact Analysis
Uses quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of a program, policy, or intervention.
Descriptive Analysis
Describes a program, policy, or intervention using qualitative or quantitative methods.
Implementation Analysis
Examines the implementation of a program, policy, or intervention.
Favorable
The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts.
Mixed
The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain.
None
The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain.
Unfavorable
The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts.
Not applicable
Not applicable because no outcomes were examined in the outcome domain.
Favorable - low evidence
The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Mixed - low evidence
The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
None - low evidence
The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Unfavorable - low evidence
The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.