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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2006.03.002 Byline: Jan Boone, Jan C. van Ours Keywords: Workplace accidents; Unemployment Abstract: Empirical evidence shows that in recessions the rate of workplace accidents goes down. This paper presents a theory and an empirical investigation to explain this phenomenon. The theory is based on the idea that reporting an accident affects the reputation of a worker and raises the probability that he is fired. If the unemployment rate is high, a worker faces a big loss when fired and fewer workplace accidents are reported. The empirical investigation concerns workplace accidents in 16 OECD countries. We conclude that cyclical fluctuations in workplace accident rates have to do with reporting behavior of workers and not with changes in workplace safety. Author Affiliation: Department of Economics, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, NL-5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands Article History: Received 19 May 2005; Revised 11 January 2006; Accepted 20 March 2006 Article Note: (footnote) [star] Financial support from the Dutch National Science Foundation (grant-numbers 016.025.024 and 453.03.606) is gratefully acknowledged.