David A. Kolman, editor, Fleet Maintenance

Kolman’s Komments: It really does make a difference

Jan. 11, 2016
Research shows that OSHA citations and penalties do reduce workplace injuries.

Ever wonder if OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) inspections are worth all the time, effort and expense?

Well, they are, according to a study from the Institute for Work and Health (IWH), an independent, not-for-profit research organization that aims to protect and improve the health of working people (www.iwh.on.ca).

IWH researchers performed a systematic review to determine the effectiveness of the enforcement of OSHA regulations in creating incentives for firms to focus on safety and health issues.

The study determined that general deterrence – the potential to be inspected, cited and fined – is less effective in reducing the frequency or severity of injuries.

On the other hand, it found that specific deterrence – citations and penalties, for example – do have an impact.

This suggests that for regulation to be effective, regulators need to "be in the field" undertaking investigations and actively seeking out cases of non-compliance for regulation to be effective.

The study builds on the findings from several other recent studies showing that injury rates decrease at an establishment in the years following an OSHA inspection.

OSHA’s mission is to assure safe and healthful workplaces by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training and education, outreach and compliance assistance to employers and workers.

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