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.
Recently Added
CLEAR searches the existing literature for research relevant to this topic area's focus. Browse the most recently reviewed research below.
Displaying 11 - 20 of 29
Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
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…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to determine the impact of two types of notifications sent by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)—those with and without subsequent inspections—on…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the effects of Washington’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) State Plan (named WISHA) inspections and consultations on workers’ compensation claim rates for…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) inspections on compliance behavior among construction contractors from 1987 to 1993.…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
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…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to determine the effect of receiving an OSHA citation for violating the Washington State Fall Protection Standard on injury claim rates among construction employers. The…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of the Lead Exposure in Construction Standard imposed by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), which was introduced in May 1993…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to determine the effect on injury rates of OSHA inspections that resulted in penalties during the 1980s. Although OSHA no longer operates as it did during this period, this…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of past Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) health inspections on the number of violations found in subsequent inspections. The…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the effect of past Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) inspections on the number of violations found in subsequent inspections. The study used…
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.