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  • 2020
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA

By: Matthew S. Johnson, David I. Levine and Michael W. Toffel
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:85
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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 averted 2.4 serious injuries (9%) over the next five years. We use new machine learning methods to estimate the effects of counterfactual targeting rules. OSHA could have averted over twice as many injuries by targeting the highest expected averted injuries and nearly as many by targeting the highest expected level of injuries. Either approach would have generated over $1 billion in social value over the decade we examine.

Keywords

Government Administration; Working Conditions; Safety; Quality; Production; Analysis; Resource Allocation; Manufacturing Industry; United States

Citation

Johnson, Matthew S., David I. Levine, and Michael W. Toffel. "Improving Regulatory Effectiveness Through Better Targeting: Evidence from OSHA." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-019, August 2019. (Revised February 2020.)
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About The Author

Michael W. Toffel

Technology and Operations Management
→More Publications

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    Do Management System Standards Indicate Superior Performance? Evidence from the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard

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    • December 2021
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    Intenseye: Powering Workplace Health and Safety with AI

    By: Michael W. Toffel and Youssef Abdel Aal
    • December 2021
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    Intenseye: Powering Workplace Health and Safety with AI – PowerPoint Supplement

    By: Michael W. Toffel and Youssef Abdel Aal
More from the Authors
  • Do Management System Standards Indicate Superior Performance? Evidence from the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard By: Kala Viswanathan, Matthew S. Johnson and Michael W. Toffel
  • Intenseye: Powering Workplace Health and Safety with AI By: Michael W. Toffel and Youssef Abdel Aal
  • Intenseye: Powering Workplace Health and Safety with AI – PowerPoint Supplement By: Michael W. Toffel and Youssef Abdel Aal
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