Improving Regulatory Effectiveness through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 15
Issue: 4
Pages: 30-67

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We study how a regulator can best target inspections. Our case study is a US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program that randomly allocated some inspections. On average, each inspection led to 2.4 (9 percent) fewer serious injuries over the next 5 years. Using new machine learning methods, we find that OSHA could have averted as much as twice as many injuries by targeting inspections to workplaces with the highest expected averted injuries and nearly as many by targeting the highest expected level of injuries. Either approach would have generated up to $850 million in social value over the decade we examine.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejapp:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:30-67
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25