Table Worker and the ORS

Table Worker (fabrication, nec) has the job of examining linoleum tiles.  The DOT-O*NET crosswalk informs that the occupation belongs to inspectors, testers, sorters, sampler, and weighers (SOC 51-9061).  The sedentary, unskilled, reasoning level 1 occupation is one of 67 sedentary unskilled occupations, five of which have reasoning level 1, out of a total of 782 unique DOT codes.  The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports 520,700 jobs having typical entry level requirements of a high school diploma (or equivalent) and moderate-term on-the-job training. 

Before we turn to the Occupational Requirements Survey, we know that the majority of these jobs require a high school education and are semi-skilled.  The ORS confirms those inferences from the OOH:  83% of inspectors, testers require more than 30 days of training (12.5% require SVP 3; 11.5% require SVP 5; 17.4% require SVP 6; 17.9% require SVP 7; and 13.7% require SVP 8).  The ORS reports that 16.5% require SVP 2.  The two unreported SVP levels are 1 and 4.  They may share 0.5% or those jobs may reside in just one SVP.  The data leaves that hole.  The four sedentary reasoning level 1 occupations require SVP 2; four light occupations require SVP 1 and reasoning level 1; there are 34 DOT codes at all exertion levels that require reasoning level 1.  There are 173 unskilled DOT codes within this group out of the total 782 DOT codes.  Those 173 unskilled DOT codes represent 86,000 jobs if the 16.5% SVP 2 jobs is correct. 

The ORS confirms the OOH observation of education levels:  66.9% have a minimum education level of high school diploma.  Based on HR reporting, the ORS states that 22.4% of jobs have no minimum educational requirement.  That observation does not offend the 86,000 estimate of unskilled jobs in this group spread out among 173 unskilled DOT codes. 

The sitting demands implicate few fall into the sedentary classification.  The ORS reports that at the 90th percentile, inspectors, testers sit 7.2 hours per day.  At the 75th percentile, inspectors testers sit 5 hours per day.  Five hours does not qualify as sedentary so something more than 10% but less than 25% sit enough to qualify as sedentary work.  Inspectors, testers have the flexibility to sit/stand at will in 31.5% of jobs.  The median inspector, tester lifts 25 pounds maximum during the day.  These jobs involve lifting/carrying up to 50 pounds seldom in 56.3% of jobs.  I use Occu Collect to run these reports quickly. 

The SOC-crosswalk lists 67 sedentary DOT codes within inspectors, testers: one unskilled reasoning level 3; nine unskilled reasoning level 2; and four unskilled reasoning level 1.  The other 53 sedentary DOT codes are semi-skilled or skilled. 

Without considering industry, the probable number of unskilled inspector, tester jobs is less than 86,000 jobs and the number of those with sedentary exertion is between 9,000 and 21,500.  Using the equal-distribution method at this end of the line, table workers (fabrication, nec) have a statistical job incidence of less than 5,000.  Using the occupational-density model, we came up with circa 3,000 jobs yesterday.