Assembler, Production (DOT 706.687-010) and the JBP Industries

This is the first follow-up on the generic instruction to always check the NAICS codes when the VE uses JBP as a basis for job number evidence.  Production occupations are the bread the butter of vocational experts (VE).  The American economy has a large manufacturing sector.  It makes sense that production work exists.  The question is how many exist as light, unskilled work.  A VE could identify production assembler and cite Job Browser Pro (JBP) for the proposition that this single DOT represents over 67,000 jobs.  The question that the representative must ask is whether JBP is reliable as to this occupation.  We start with the DOT code:

706.687-010 ASSEMBLER, PRODUCTION (any industry)
Performs repetitive bench or line assembly operations to mass-produce products, such as automobile or tractor radiators, blower wheels, refrigerators, or gas stoves: Places parts in specified relationship to each other. Bolts, clips, screws, cements, or otherwise fastens parts together by hand, or using handtools or portable power tools. May tend machines, such as arbor presses or riveting machine, to perform force fitting or fastening operations on assembly line. May be assigned to different work stations as production needs require. May work on line where tasks vary as different model of same article moves along line. ay be designated according to part or product produced.
GOE: 06.04.22 STRENGTH: L GED: R2 M1 L1 SVP: 2 DLU: 80

The DOT designates any industry but the narrative specifies the mass production of radiators, blowers, wheels, refrigerators, and gas stoves. Any industry does not mean all industries, it means many industries and at least more than four. The narrative narrows the scope of any industry to those industries that make vehicle parts, refrigerators, and gas stoves. Anything outside of that scope requires an explanation under SSR 00-4p.

JBP starts the list of North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) list with food manufacturing subsector (NAICS 311000).  The manufacture of food does not involve the mass production of vehicles parts, refrigerators, or gas stoves.  It requires an explanation for that apparent conflict with the DOT.  

JBP lists eight industry groups (NAICS 311100 - 311800) after listing the food industry subsector.  That is double counting.  Each of the industry groups list between 4 and 12 DOT codes in each occupation-industry intersection.  The line for the industry subsector claims that production assembler is the only DOT code at that intersection.  The counting of the industry subsector fails to account for the other DOT codes in the industry groups.  

The CBP hyperlink in JBP lists no DOT codes.  The CBP page for other food manufacturing (NAICS 311900) does not list any production workers, all other (SOC 51-9199) occupations.  There are more jobs for production workers within NAICS 311000 than there are for NAICS 311100 - 311800.  

The next industry subsector listed by JBP is beverage and tobacco manufacturing (NAICS 312000).  JBP duplicates the number of jobs with industry group of beverage manufacturing (NAICS 312100).  The group has six DOT codes, the industry subsector just has production assembler.  Production assembler does not manufacture beverages or tobacco products and JBP has double counted.  

JBP lists textile product mills (NAICS 314000) and leather and allied product manufacturing (NAICS 316000).  JBP lists the printing and related support activities industry (NAICS 32300) and the petroleum and coal products manufacturing industry (NAICS 324000) subsectors.  These industries require an explanation in light of the narrative description of what production assemblers do on the job.  

JBP lists wood product manufacturing subsector (NAICS 321000) and three industry groups (NAICS 321100 - 321900).  JBP commits the same errors in listi9ng the paper manufacturing industry subsector (NAICS 322000)  and the pulp, paper, and paperboard mills manufacturing industry group (NAICS 322100).  JBP lists chemical manufacturing subsector (NAICS 325000) and seven industry groups (six of them in two composite groups) (NAICS 325100 - 325900).  JBP suggests the plastics and rubber products manufacturing subsector (NAICS 326000) as well as the plastics industry group and the rubber product manufacturing group (NAICS 326100 - 326200).  There is an apparent conflict with the DOT and double counting without accounting for all the DOT codes listed in the industry groups.  

The process of questioning the NAICS code assignment and the double counting problem continues.  JBP has not set forth a reliable methodology and any testimony based in whole or in part of JBP for this occupation is necessarily flawed.  

JBP confesses the unreliable methodology on the face of the Estimated DOT Employment Numbers tab.  JBP states that the Occupational Employment Statistics estimates that 1,590 DOT codes inside of production workers, all other represent 222,230 jobs in the nation.  The selected industries represent 274,076 jobs in version 1.70.2 of JBP.  The part cannot exceed the size of the whole.  JBP's job number estimate is not reliable for this occupation.  

______________________

Lawrence Rohlfing, Assembler, Production (DOT 706.687-010) and the JBP Industries, California Social Security Attorney (October 6, 2020), https://californiasocialsecurityattorney.blogspot.com/2020/10/assembler-production-dot-706687-010-and.html