American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Volume 57, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 557-572

Effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities (Review)

Siqueira C.E.* , Gaydos M. , Monforton C. , Slatin C. , Borkowski L. , Dooley P. , Liebman A. , Rosenberg E. , Shor G. , Keifer M.
  • a Mauricio Gastón Institute of Latino Community Development and Public Policy, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, United States
  • b San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • c Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
  • d Department of Community Health and Sustainability, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, IA, United States
  • e Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
  • f LaborSafe Health and Safety Consulting, Dexter, MI, United States
  • g Migrant Clinicians Network, Salisbury, MD, United States
  • h [Affiliation not available]
  • i UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Safe Transportation Research, Education Center (SafeTREC), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
  • j National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI, United States

Abstract

Background: This article introduces some key labor, economic, and social policies that historically and currently impact occupational health disparities in the United States. Methods: We conducted a broad review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature on the effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities. Results: Many populations such as tipped workers, public employees, immigrant workers, and misclassified workers are not protected by current laws and policies, including worker's compensation or Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement of standards. Local and state initiatives, such as living wage laws and community benefit agreements, as well as multiagency law enforcement contribute to reducing occupational health disparities. Conclusions: There is a need to build coalitions and collaborations to command the resources necessary to identify, and then reduce and eliminate occupational disparities by establishing healthy, safe, and just work for all. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author Keywords

Labor policies Social policies Economic policies Occupational health disparities

Index Keywords

government policy Health Policy occupational health Salaries and Fringe Benefits salary and fringe benefit health care policy public policy Workers' Compensation workman compensation health disparity Health Status Disparities United States legislation and jurisprudence human Humans United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84897569768&doi=10.1002%2fajim.22186&partnerID=40&md5=dcc812da0298f06b1440ec9ff0b883cc
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22186
ISSN: 02713586
Cited by: 21
Original Language: English