Current Research

Understanding the Effectiveness of OSHA Construction Consultations in Reducing Serious Hazards

Wayne Gray

Clark University
Email: [email protected]

John Mendeloff

University of Pittsburgh
Email: [email protected]

Abstract:

States provide voluntary consultation services designed to assist small and medium-sized construction firms in complying with regulatory standards and making their workplaces safer. Research on the effect of these programs suggests states with higher rates of consultation visits tend to have lower construction fatality rates, but the literature is limited does not test for a causal relationship between consultations and reductions in injuries. The project will focus on four questions: Does that relationship differ across firm sizes, consultation characteristics, and injury types? Is the apparent impact causal? What mechanisms explain the impact, including connections between specific hazards being abated and specific injury types being prevented? What factors influence firms to request a consultation and respond to the visit, including both firm characteristics and state program outreach efforts?  The results will provide a basis for allocating effectively the nearly $100 million the federal and state governments allocate to consulting services.