Encouraging small businesses to adopt effective technologies to prevent exposure to health hazards

Small businesses are heterogeneous and the prospects are low for direct OSHA inspection and enforcement. Opportunities are explored to encourage voluntary adoption of new technology to reduce workplace exposures. The case of radiator repair shops is used in this paper to illustrate an approach to the dissemination of control technology to small businesses that will encourage these companies to adopt controls. Several behavioral theories are applied to the case. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.