Table Worker (fabrication, nec), Examined and Dismantled

The ALJ propounds a sedentary residual functional capacity with a reasoning level of 1.  The vocational expert identifies table worker (739.687-182) (fabrication, nec).  The DOT lists four occupations with the name table worker as the whole title or part of the title:

DOT Code	DOT Title	INDTTL	SVP	STRENGTH	GEDR
739.687-182	TABLE WORKER	(fabrication, nec)	2	S	1
521.687-102	PICKING-TABLE WORKER	(sugar & conf.)	1	L	1
783.687-030	TABLE WORKER	(leather prod.)	1	L	1
788.687-142	TABLE WORKER	(boot & shoe)	2	L	2

The one that meets the hypothetical is the sedentary table worker in the fabrication, not elsewhere classified industry.  The DOT has a short description of this occupation:

739.687-182 TABLE WORKER (fabrication, nec) alternate titles: spotter

    Examines squares (tiles) of felt-based linoleum material passing along on conveyor and replaces missing and substandard tiles. 
GOE: 06.03.02 STRENGTH: S GED: R1 M1 L1 SVP: 2 DLU: 77

What does "fabrication, nec" mean?  Going back to the DOT:

fabrication, nec--MISCELLANEOUS FABRICATED PRODUCTS, NOT ELSEWHERE
CLASSIFIED: This designation includes occupations concerned with
manufacturing and repairing miscellaneous items not included under
another specific designation. These include brooms and brushes of
all types; signs and advertising displays; burial caskets and
related materials, except those made from concrete; floor
coverings, not elsewhere classified; fuel briquettes; candles;
articles, such as wigs, from human, animal, and artificial hair;
matches; models, patterns, mannequins, and wax figures; smoking
pipes; and umbrellas and canes.

That is a long list of examples of what workers manufacture in the fabrication, nec industry.  But the narrative for table worker does not include brooms, sign, caskets, briquettes, candle, matches, mannequins, pipes, umbrellas, or canes.  Table workers inspect linoleum, replacing missing and substandard tiles.  The NAICS Manual contains an explanation that helps:

326199 Tiles, floor (i.e., linoleum, rubber, vinyl), manufacturing

NAICS 326199 is a broad industry designation.  According to Census, the classification has examples:

326199 All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing plastics products (except film, sheet, bags, profile shapes, pipes, pipe fittings, laminates, foam products, bottles, and plumbing fixtures).

Illustrative Examples:Inflatable plastics swimming pool rafts and similar flotation devices manufacturingPlastics air mattresses manufacturingPlastics bottle caps and lids manufacturingPlastics bowls and bowl covers manufacturingPlastics clothes hangers manufacturingPlastics cups (except foam) manufacturingPlastics dinnerware (except foam) manufacturingPlastics gloves manufacturingPlastics hardware manufacturingPlastics siding manufacturingPlastics trash containers manufacturingResilient floor coverings (e.g., sheet, tiles) manufacturing

Now that we know a little about the occupation and the industry in which the DOT describes and studied its existence, we need the SOC code used in the modern Labor classification of the occupation.  I use Occu Collect.

DOT Code: 739.687-182

SOC Code: 51-9061.00

O*NET URL: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-9061.00

DOT-O*NET Crosswalk: https://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/DOT?s=739.687-182&g=GO

51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Typical Education Needed	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
Typical On-The-Job Training Needed to Attain Competency	Moderate-term on-the-job training
2016 Employment	520,700

The first thing that pops out is that this occupational group typically requires a high school or equivalent education and is typically semi-skilled.  The employment projections report 21,000 jobs:

Employment by industry, occupation, and percent distribution, 2016 and projected 2026
51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
(Employment in thousands) Industries with fewer than 50 jobs, confidential data, or poor quality data are not displayed
	Industry		2016
Sort Order	Code	Title	Employment	Percent of industry
1	TE1000	Total employment	520.7	0.3
74	326100	Plastics product manufacturing	21.0	3.7
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Two problems arise from this observation: first, table worker is one of 18 DOT codes classified in inspectors, testers; second, this is the industry group, not the industry in which linoleum is manufactured.

CB1600A11
Geography Area Series: County Business Patterns
2016 Business Patterns

		Meaning of		Paid employees
Geographic area name	2012 NAICS code	2012 NAICS code	Year	for pay period including March
				12 (number)
United States	326199	All other plastics product manufacturing	2016	357,473

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 County Business Patterns.
1 of 1                                                                                     09/14/2018

A statistical estimate 13,226 is reasonable based on the percent of industry employment applied to the specific industry. Job Browser Pro uses the industry group reported by the EP and the industry group for rubber product manufacturing with 7 and 24 total DOT codes at the SOC/NAICS intersection. With those assumptions, JBP estimates less than 3,200 jobs as a table worker (fabrication, nec).

The all other plastic products manufacturing industry covers a wide range of products and no data suggests that those occupations employ sedentary inspectors.  The best conclusion to draw from this analysis is simple -- Job Browser Pro overestimates the number of jobs in the economy .