Workplace Safety and Worker Productivity: Evidence from the MINER Act

Ling Li

ILR Review, 2022, vol. 75, issue 1, 117-138

Abstract: This study examines the effect of safety enforcement on workplace injuries and worker productivity in coal mines. The author exploits the introduction of a “flagrant†violation standard—with penalties of up to 0.22 million dollars per violation—established by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006. Using an event-study model, the author finds that after the issuance of a flagrant violation, the workplace injuries decreased significantly by 20% and miner productivity decreased by 6%. The results suggest that the monetary value of the productivity loss is 1.3 times the costs saved from fewer injuries, which highlights the costs of workplace safety regulations.

Keywords: workplace safety; worker productivity; Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA); coal mining (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:75:y:2022:i:1:p:117-138

DOI: 10.1177/0019793920931495

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