Occupational Safety and Health

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Band 443, S. 41-53

Abstract

Work accidents became a matter of societal concern in the progressive era of Woodrow Wilson. When other contingencies of modern life were brought under social security in the New Deal reforms of the 1930s, work accident legislation remained separate. Despite low benefits & imperfect insurance arrangements, the workers' compensation legislation does help internalize the costs of accidents. However, internalization of costs is only one remedy; others are regulation & broader community responsibility. Regulation poses problems, & broader community responsibility may evade the issues involved in finding the tradeoff of production & health which would maximize social welfare. Modified HA.