Fruit Distributor - 921.685-046 - Occasional Handling and No Fingering

We used the SCO and the aptitudes for dexterity to show that there really are not a significant number of jobs for a person limited to light work (six hours of standing/walking), occasional handling, and no fingering. There is more than one to tackle the problem. We look at fruit distributor (DOT 921.685-046) through the O*Net.

Fruit Distributor (DOT 921.685-046) belongs to conveyor operators and tenders (SOC 53-7011).  Conveyor operators and tenders  have regular schedules in 85% of jobs and work 40 hours per week or more in 96% of jobs. The O*NET reports the incumbent surveys that 92% of the jobs require use of the hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls half the time.  We use the O*NET work context reports to prove the point:

53-7011.00 - Conveyor Operators and Tenders

Structural Job Characteristics	%	Response
Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week.	54	More than 40 hours
	42	40 hours
	4	Less than 40 hours

Environmental	%	Response
Work Schedules — How regular are the work schedules for this job?	85	Regular (established routine, set schedule)
	13	Irregular (changes with weather conditions, production demands, or contract duration)
	2	Seasonal (only during certain times of the year)

Exertional	%	Response
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?	66	Continually or almost continually
	16	More than half the time
	10	About half the time
	4	Less than half the time
	4	Never

The Occupational Requirements Survey 2017 data release provides no data about the occupational group of conveyor operators and tenders.  We used the handling responses from the O*NET in lieu thereof.

We can check the OOH to determine aggregate job numbers and the typical education/training.  

53-7011 Conveyor operators and tenders

Typical Education Needed	No formal educational credential
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
Typical On-The-Job Training Needed to Attain Competency	Short-term on-the-job training
2016 Employment	28,100

Incumbents have at least some college in 62.4% of jobs.  

The Occupational Employment Statistics estimates the occupational group at 26,570.  

Conveyor operators and tenders include 30 DOT codes, five of which are unskilled and light and another eight requiring greater exertion and no skills.  That leaves 17 other DOT codes that require skills but the OOH describes the group and unskilled.

# of jobs	% unskilled	# of unskilled jobs
28,100	100%	28,100
# of unskilled jobs	% ≤ occasional manipulation	# ≤ occasional manipulation
28,100	8%	2,248
# of unskilled jobs	% no manipulation	# no manipulation
28,100	4%	1,124
# no manipulation	% full-time	# full time, no manipulation
1,124	96%	1,079
# full time, no manipulation	% regular schedule	# regular, f-t, no manip.
1,079	85%	917