Guidelines for Reporting

Occupation and Industry

on Death Certificates

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Page i

Guidelines

for Reporting

Occupation and Industry 

on Death Certificates

Authors

This document was written by Cynthia Robinson, Pam Schumacher, 

Marie Haring Sweeney and Jose Lainez

Department of Health and Human Services 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226
Page ii

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted.

Disclaimer

Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to websites external to 

NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these websites. 

All websites referenced in this document were accessible as of the publication date.

Ordering Information

To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and health topics, 

contact NIOSH at

Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)

TTY: 1-888-232-6348

E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

or visit the NIOSH website at www.cdc.gov/niosh.

For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.

gov/niosh/eNews.

For more information on this topic and to access a pdf version of this document, visit the 

NIOSH Industry and Occupation Coding and Support web page (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

topics/coding/).

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012-149

June 2012 
Page iii

Acknowledgements

NIOSH recognizes funeral directors, the National Association for Public Health Statistics and 

Information Systems (NAPHSIS), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and state health 

departments for their critical role in producing accurate and complete statements of occupation and 

industry.

We would like to thank the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the National Center for 

Health Statistics (NCHS), and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science for their consultation in 

the development of this document.
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Contents

Disclaimer........................................................................................................................... ii

Ordering Information.......................................................................................................... ii

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................ iii

Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................1

Importance of Collecting Occupation and Industry.................................................2

Note to Funeral Directors.........................................................................................2

Chapter 2: Completing Electronic and Paper Death Certificates.........................................3

Chapter 3: Rules for Reporting Usual Occupation and Kind of Business or Industry .......5

Basic Rules ..............................................................................................................5

Rules for Special Situations.....................................................................................5

Chapter 4: Completing the Occupation Item .....................................................................9

A) Instructions .........................................................................................................9

B) Important points to remember ..........................................................................10

C) Generic occupations often reported that may require clarification...................11

D) Commonly confused occupations that require clarification .............................13

Chapter 5: Completing the Kind of Business or Industry Item .........................................15

A) Instructions .......................................................................................................15

B) Special Situations..............................................................................................17

Chapter 6: Scenarios with Several Jobs over a Lifetime ...................................................19

Chapter 7: Checklist: Reviewing Your Entries..................................................................21

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation that Need more Detail..........................................23

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Detail...................................29

Appendix C: Examples of Acceptable Entries for Both Occupation and Industry............35

Appendix D: The Vital Statistics Registration System in the United States......................37

Using Death Data for Public Health Action...........................................................38
Page 1

Chapter 1

Introduction

By reporting accurate data on industry and usual or lifetime occupation of decedents, funeral directors and those 

involved in the registration process are helping to improve 

statistics on occupational mortality and worker health. 

This document updates the guidelines written in 1988 by 

the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (DHHS 

Publication No. 88-1149). It is designed to help funeral 

directors complete the Decedent’s Usual Occupation and 

Kind of Business/Industry items on electronic and paper 

death certificates. The National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) reviews the quality of the 

occupation and industry reported, combines it with the 

NCHS mortality data, and reports U.S. occupational 

mortality trends. 

The average U.S. worker spends a substantial part of his or 

her life at work. Workplaces or jobs may expose workers 

to risks or hazards that can contribute to injury or disease. 

Information about an individual’s job and type of business 

provides a snapshot of the hazards he or she might have 

encountered on the job. Disease may appear immediately 

or many years after the worker left the job. The data on 

the occupation and industry of workers can point to health 

risks to which the workers may have been exposed. 

In the United States there are approximately 5,000 traumatic 

work-related fatalities and tens of thousands of work-related 

deaths from illnesses reported each year. It has been known 

for many decades that exposures to hazards in the work 

environment can cause severe injury or illness and death 

in workers. 

It is important to collect high quality, accurate, and complete 

responses on the death certificate for all decedents over 

age 14 that were ever employed, unemployed, or retired. 

Such data can be used for making decisions on creating 

safer and healthier work environments. 
Page 2

Importance of Collecting Occupation 

and Industry

Public health program planners and researchers rely on 

funeral directors to record the best information possible on 

potential risk factors, including potentially hazardous jobs 

held by decedents during their working lives. 

The usual (longest-held) occupation and kind of business 

or industry of workers can reveal the national illness and 

injury burden by industry and occupation. Such information 

can also be used to help discover jobs that may have a high 

risk for death due to injury, cancer, or other diseases and for 

which prevention efforts can be concentrated or targeted.

Note to Funeral Directors

We understand that funeral directors are often limited by 

the amount and specificity of information received from 

survivors, but we believe that the enclosed tips will be 

helpful. The examples described as “adequate” are always 

preferred over those entries described as “inadequate,” but 

“inadequate” data entries are acceptable when no other 

information is available. In this booklet we use the term 

inadequate to describe an entry that does not provide 

enough information for accurate coding of an industry or 

occupation according to standard classification systems.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Page 3

Who Provides the Industry and 

Occupation?

The individual who provides information about the 

decedent should be someone who knows firsthand about 

the decedent’s job history. This person, hereinafter 

referred to as the informant, should be able to describe 

accurately the types of jobs held by the decedent during 

his or her life. 

The informant is usually the surviving spouse or a 

first-degree relative (parents, siblings, children). Other 

family members or friends may be able to provide 

details about the decedent’s longest held or usual occupation and kind of business or industry.

Getting the Best information

If the decedent had many different occupations and 

different places of business, it may be necessary to ask 

additional questions to determine the usual occupation 

and industry, such as:

● In which job did the decedent work the longest? 

● What kind of work did the decedent do for the most 

years of his/her life?

● If the decedent had several jobs over a lifetime, in 

which job did he/she work the longest?

Chapter 2

Completing Electronic and 

Paper Death Certificates
Page 4
Page 5

Chapter 3

Rules for Reporting Usual Occupation and 

Kind of Business or Industry

This chapter reviews the rules for reporting usual occupation and kind of business or industry for individuals 

who were ever employed during their life. However, 

many decedents may not have been in the workforce at 

the time of death; thus, there might not be an occupation response to report. The following rules provide 

guidance on what should be reported in such situations, 

and for responses such as child, homemaker, or retired, 

among others.

Basic Rules

1. If the decedent was ever employed, always complete 

the Usual Occupation and Kind of Business/Industry 

items.

2. Do not leave any blank occupation and business/

industry items.

Rules for Special Situations

1. If the decedent is under 14 years of age, enter “infant” 

or “child” in the occupation or business/industry 

item. 

2. Student (14 years or older):

● Full-time student with no employment:

○Enter “Student” for Usual Occupation.

○Enter type of school, such as “High school” or 

“College,” for Kind of Business/Industry. 

● Part-time student with employment (part-time or 

full time):

○Enter his/her usual occupation and the corresponding business/industry.

Remember

There will always be a corresponding Kind of Business/Industry for every Usual Occupation entry.
Page 6

3. Retired: Never enter “retired.” If the decedent was 

retired, enter the kind of work done during most of 

his/her working life.

4. Unemployed: Never enter “unemployed.” Enter 

the usual occupation and business/industry of the 

decedent if he/she were ever employed. If the person 

never worked, use rule # 8 (Never worked). 

5. Unknown: Should be entered only after every effort 

has been made to determine the usual occupation and 

business/industry. Unknown should be your last resort, 

and must be entered on both Usual Occupation and

Kind of Business/Industry.

6. Self-employed: If the person was self-employed, 

enter the kind of work performed, including a trade or 

craft, for the Usual Occupation. For Kind of Business/

Industry, enter the usual occupation with the term “selfemployed”. 

7. Disabled or Institutionalized: Enter the usual 

occupation and business/industry of the decedent 

if he/she were ever employed. If the disabled or 

institutionalized decedent never worked, apply rule 

# 8 (Never Worked).

8. Never worked: If the decedent was not a student 

or homemaker/housewife and had never worked 

during his/her life, enter “Never worked” for Usual 

Occupation and Kind of Business/Industry.

Chapter 3: Rules for Reporting Usual Occupation and Kind of Business or Industry

Example of Self-Employed

Usual 

Occupation

Kind of 

Business/

Industry

Shoe repairman Self-employed 

shoe repairman

Repairman Self-employed 

Repairman

Auto Painter Self-employed 

Auto Painter
Page 7

1

 Also known as “Stay-at-home mom,” “Stay-at-home dad,” “Stayat-home spouse,” or “Housewife.”

Chapter 3: Rules for Reporting Usual Occupation and Kind of Business or Industry

9. Homemaker1: To determine the entry for 

the occupation reported as “homemaker,” 

it is important to find out if the decedent:

a. Worked for pay outside the home.

b. Worked at his/her own home or someone else’s 

home.

Homemaker vs. Domestic Occupation Flow Chart
Page 8
Page 9

 Chapter 4 

Completing the Occupation Item

Example of Usual Occupation

A woman worked in the kitchen of a 

fast-food restaurant for five years. Later, 

she worked as a secretary for a car dealership for 25 years. Then, she worked 

as a care assistant at a retirement home 

for 10 years.

What is her usual occupation and kind 

of business/industry?

 Usual occupation: “Secretary”

Kind of business/industry: 

“Car dealership”

Although she had three long-term jobs, 

her job as a secretary at the car dealership 

was the longest held (for 25 years). Car 

dealership is the type of business in which 

she worked as a secretary. 

A) Instructions

In the space on the death certificate for Decedent’s 

Usual Occupation, enter the word or words which 

most clearly describe the kind of work or type of duties 

performed by the deceased person during most of his/

her working life. 

The following information can help to determine the 

decedent’s usual occupation. 

● The usual occupation may be obtained by asking 

the informant to identify the longest held job. This 

applies to all individuals who, at the time of death, 

were ever employed, unemployed, or retired during 

his/her lifetime.

○If the decedent had several jobs, identify the one 

that was held for the greatest number of working 

years. 

○It is important to note that this is not necessarily the 

last occupation of the decedent.

○The usual occupation may not be the highest paid 

job or the most prestigious job.

Enter the longest held job onto the death certificate. 

The best response must be specific and descriptive. It 

should reflect job tasks and duties.

The following questions could be used to obtain more 

specific job tasks and duties:

“What kind of work was he or she doing?”

“What were his or her specific duties and tasks?” 

“How long had he or she been doing this kind of work?”

If the Decedent’s Usual Occupation is not clear enough 

from the information provided by the informant, enter a 

few descriptive words. See examples in Table 1. 

Definition

Decedent’s Usual Occupation: Type of job the individual performed during most of his or her 

life, or the job held for the longest time. 
Page 10

Table 1 

The following example shows selected 

general occupations; however, the more 

specific the occupation, the better the 

entry.

General More Specific

Salesperson Insurance sales, advertising sales ...

Assistant Office assistant, dental 

assistant...

Manager Grocery store manager, 

office manager...

Teacher Preschool teacher, high 

school teacher...

Farmworker

Fruit farmworker, dairy 

machine operator, 

farmworker, livestock 

handler...

B) Important points to remember

It is important that the entry for occupation be very specific.2

The following examples may be helpful when clarifying 

vague or unusual occupations: 

1. Apprentice or helper. Enter if the person was an 

apprentice, trainee, or helper, in his/her occupation.

Examples

● Accountant’s helper ● Electrician’s helper

● Auto mechanic 

apprentice ● Plumber apprentice

Examples

Too General More Specific

● Baker ● Bakery owner

● Printer ● Publishing firm owner

● Brewer ● Brewery owner

Examples

● “Sand hog”: works in construction of underwater tunnels. 

● “Printer’s devil”: refers to an apprentice printer. 

● “Flatcar whacker”: maintains and repairs logging 

rail cars. 

● “Bed rubber”: operates machine which smoothes 

stone blocks. 

Chapter 4: Completing the Occupation Item

2. Business owner. Enter if the decedent was the 

owner of a business. The usual occupation for the 

business owner is not necessarily related to the type 

of business. 

3. Unusual occupations. Enter the occupation given 

by the informant even if the occupation may sound 

unusual. 

2

 refer to Appendix A for more examples of occupations that 

require further detail.
Page 11

C) Generic occupations often reported that 

may require clarification

There are many occupations that describe a general 

type of work such as contractor, consultant, assembler, 

and technician. It is important to identify the specific 

nature of the work performed and the decedents’ kind 

of business/industry. 

1. Contractor. Enter the type of contract work the 

decedent did. 

Examples

● Accounting consultant ● Nurse consultant

● Pharmacy consultant ● Dietitian consultant

● Computer consultant ● Wig sales consultant

Examples

● Toy assembler ● Household appliance 

assembler

● Truck engine 

assembler 

● Electronic assembler

● Furniture assembler ● Concrete buildings 

assembler

Chapter 4: Completing the Occupation Item

2. Consultant. For what are they providing consultation? 

The term “consultant” should include a specific 

occupation.

3. Assembler. Include the type of product that is being 

assembled. 

Examples

● Farm contractor

● Administrative 

contractor

● Plumbing trade 

contractor 

● Defense contractor
Page 12

Chapter 4: Completing the Occupation Item

4. Technician. Include the specific technical process 

involved in the decedent’s work.

Examples

● Medical laboratory 

technician 

● Computer software 

technician

● Automotive 

technician ● Pharmacy technician

● Broadcasting 

technician 

● Refrigeration 

technician

Examples

● Warehouse laborer ● Cleaning laborer

● Construction laborer ● Oil field laborer

● Farm laborer ● Landscape laborer

5. Laborer. Include the type of work performed by the 

laborer.
Page 13

D) Commonly confused occupations that 

require clarification:

Some occupations may sound the same or may be difficult 

to discern. Ask additional questions to make sure that 

the correct occupation is entered. Below are examples 

of occupations that can be confused:

1. “Machinist,” “Mechanic,” “Machine operator”:

● “Machinist”: constructs metal parts, tools, and 

machines through the use of blueprints, machine 

and hand tools, and precise measuring instruments. 

● “Mechanic”: inspects, services, and repairs 

machinery. 

● “Machine operator”: operates a factory machine; for 

example, a drill press or winder.

2. “Homemaker,” “Housekeeper,” / “Domestic help” / 

“Housemaid”:

● “Homemaker”: manages the household while his/

her spouse earns the family income. It is also 

known as “stay-at-home mom,” “stay-at-home dad,” 

“stay-at-home spouse,” or “housewife.”

● “Housekeeper” / “Domestic help”/ “Housemaid”: 

performs household work, for pay, in private residences (not in own home). This is not the same as 

“cleaning service.”

Refer to Chapter 3, item 9 (Homemaker) for more 

information.

Chapter 4: Completing the Occupation Item
Page 14
Page 15

 Chapter 5 

Completing the Kind of Business or 

Industry Item

Definition

Kind of Business/Industry: Type of business or industry where the decedent worked in his/

her usual occupation.

Table 2

General Industry Business/Industry with Specific Function 

Agriculture Livestock farm, Fruit production

Manufacturing Automobile manufacturer, Food manufacturer

Wholesale Wholesale grocery, Plumbing supplies wholesale

Retail Retail bookstore, Furniture retailer

Construction Road construction, Building construction

Repair Service Shoe repair service, Transmission repair service

A) Instructions:

In the space on the death certificate for Kind of Business/

Industry, enter the type of business or industry that the 

decedent worked in during most of his or her life, or for 

the longest time. Do not enter company names.

1. Always enter the Kind of Business/Industry. It should 

be reported even if the Decedent’s Usual Occupation 

is unknown.

2. Only use terms that clearly describe the kind of 

business/industry at the location where the decedent 

was employed. 

● The terms should indicate both a general and a 

specific function for the employer. Examples of a 

specific function include livestock farm, automobile 

manufacturer, wholesale grocery, retail bookstore, 

road construction, and shoe repair service. 

● The words “agriculture,” “manufacturing,” “wholesale,” “retail,” “construction,” and “repair services” 

refer to general industry categories and therefore only 

describe broad or general functions. Combining general 

terms with a specific function will usually provide the 

best detail. See Table 2 for examples of combinations 

of business/industry and specific function.
Page 16

3. To obtain more specific business/industry functions, 

ask the following types of questions:

● If the informant reports that the decedent worked in 

the healthcare industry, ask, “What type of location, 

hospital, doctor’s office, or clinic?” 

● If the informant reports that the decedent worked in 

the automobile industry, ask, “Did they manufacture, repair or sell automobiles?” 

● If the informant reports that the decedent worked at 

a service business, ask, “What type of service did 

they perform?” Examples could be refrigerator 

repair, laundry service, cleaning service.

4. It is important to distinguish among manufacturing, 

wholesale, retail, and service companies. Even 

though a manufacturing plant sells its products in 

large lots to other manufacturers, wholesalers, or 

retailers, report it as a manufacturing company. Use 

the following as guidance:

● A wholesale establishment buys, rather than makes, 

products in large quantities for resale to retailers, 

industrial users, or to other wholesalers.

● A retailer sells primarily to individual customers or 

users but seldom makes products.

● Establishments that are engaged in providing 

services to individuals and to organizations include 

hotels, laundries, cleaning, advertising agencies, 

and automobile repair shops. 

Chapter 5: Completing the Kind of Business or Industry Item
Page 17

Chapter 5: Completing the Kind of Business or Industry Item

B) Special situations:

The following are important points to remember when 

entering Kind of Business/Industry: 

1. Companies often operate more than one business or 

industrial activity, sometimes in the same location.

● Enter the business or industrial activity in which the 

person actually worked, not the company name. 

Example

A chemist worked in a papermill operated by the Eastman Kodak Company. 

Kind of Business/Industry should be “Papermill,” not “Eastman Kodak Company” or “Camera factory.”

2. Government organizations.

● Enter the level of government; for example, federal, 

state, county, or city.

● Enter the activity of the government organization 

and the name of the specific organization if it is 

responsible for several activities. 

Example

Level of Government General Activity Specific Activity

City Department of Public Works

- city street repair

- city garbage collection

- city sewage disposal

The best industry entries would be city street repair, city garbage collection, or city sewage disposal.

Example

● U.S. Bureau of the Census

● City Fire Department

● Enter the name of the government organization only when its activity is clear. 
Page 18

3. Businesses in own home.

● Some people conduct business in their homes. 

These businesses should be reported in the same 

manner as regular business establishments. 

Examples include a dressmaking shop, lending 

library, cabinetmaking shop, radio repair shop, and 

physician’s office.

4. People who work in jobs at different locations.

● Some workers are required to work at different 

places rather than in a specific store, factory, or 

office. This includes people who normally work at 

various locations at different times. In such cases, 

report the kind of organization or industry for which 

they worked.

 

Example

Occupations Kind of Business or Industry

Census interviewers

Building painters

Landscapers

U.S. Bureau of Census

Construction

Lawn service and landscaping

5. Domestic and other private household workers.

● If the name of an individual is given as the name of 

the employer, ask whether the person worked at a 

place of business or in a private home. For example, 

if the person was a domestic worker in the private 

home of John Q. Public, the correct entry would be 

“Private home.” Conversely, if a person cleaned 

offices in a private home, such as a doctor or lawyer’s 

office, the correct entry for Kind of Business/Industry 

would be “Doctor’s office” or “Lawyer’s office.”

For some industries, common titles are not adequate. Refer 

to Appendix B for more examples.

Chapter 5: Completing the Kind of Business or Industry Item
Page 19

 Chapter 6 

Scenarios with Several Jobs over a Lifetime

Scenario: 35 Years as a Welder and 5 Years as a Night Watchman 

A man worked for 35 years as a welder in a steel-fabricating shop. Before retiring, he worked as a 

night watchman for 5 years. 

What is his usual occupation and kind of business/industry?

 Usual occupation: “Welder”

 Kind of business/industry: “Steel fabrication” 

Even though he was a night watchman for many years before retirement, he worked as a welder for a longer 

period of time (35 years). Steel fabrication is the kind of industry in which he worked as a welder.

Scenario: 27 Years as a Coal Miner and 8 Years Post-Retirement as a Custodian

A man worked for 27 years as a coal miner. After retirement, he worked for eight years as a custodian 

for a public middle school.

 What is his usual occupation and kind of business/industry?

 Usual occupation: “Coal miner”

 Kind of business/industry: “Coal mining”

His work as a miner accounted for the majority of his working years; therefore miner is his longest 

held job (27 years). Coal mining is the specific type of industry in which he was a miner.

Scenario: 22 Years as a Sales Clerk and 18 Years as a Homemaker

A woman worked for 22 years as a sales clerk at Macy’s. Later she quit that job and became a 

homemaker. She was a homemaker for 18 years.

 What is her usual occupation and kind of business/industry?

 Usual occupation: “Sales clerk”

 Kind of business/industry: “Department store, retail”

Her work as a sales clerk accounted for the majority of her working years; therefore sales clerk is her 

longest held job (22 years). Department store, retail is the specific type of business in which she was 

a sales clerk. Notice that the name of the company, Macy’s, is not a useful entry. 
Page 20
Page 21

 Chapter 7 

Follow this checklist to improve the quality of the 

entries for Decedent’s Usual Occupation and Kind of 

Business/Industry.

1. Was the decedent 14 years of age or older?

☐ Yes: Enter Decedent’s Usual Occupation and Kind of 

Business/Industry.

☐ No: Enter “infant,” “child,” or “student” as it applies.

2. Was the decedent retired?

☐ Yes: Even if the decedent had retired, enter Usual 

Occupation and Kind of Business/Industry.

☐ No: Enter Usual Occupation and Kind of 

Business/Industry. 

3. Was the decedent self-employed? 

☐ Yes: Enter the kind of work performed, including a 

trade or craft, for the Usual Occupation. For Kind of 

Business/Industry, enter same usual occupation with 

the term “self-employed.” 

☐ No: Enter Usual Occupation and Kind of Business/

Industry.

4. Was the decedent a homemaker who worked outside 

own home?

☐ Yes: Enter usual occupation and corresponding business/industry of the decedent if he/she worked outside 

own home during most of working life. 

Enter “Domestic work” for Decedent’s Usual 

Occupation and “Private home” for Kind of Business/

Industry if the decedent worked for pay at someone 

else’s home.

☐ No: Enter “Homemaker” for Decedent’s Usual Occupation

and “Own home” for Kind of Business/Industry if the 

decedent worked only in his/her own home. 

Checklist: Reviewing Your Entries
Page 22

5. Did you leave any blank entries?

☐ Yes: Do not leave blank entries. Always enter Usual 

Occupation and Kind of Business/Industry. If the decedent never worked during his/her life, enter “Never 

worked” for Usual Occupation and Kind of Business/

Industry.

☐ No: Good job! Both entries, Usual Occupation and Kind 

of Business/Industry, should always have a response.

Chapter 7: Checklist: Reviewing Your Entries
Page 23

 Appendix A 

Examples of Occupation Entries that Need 

more Detail

The following list consists of examples of occupations which require more detail. Included in this listing 

are examples of inadequate entries — those considered too general or needing more detail — as well 

as the adequate entries. The most frequent inadequately reported occupations appear in bold. Note 

that examples listed as adequate do not include all acceptable occupation titles. Refer to Appendix C 

for additional information. 

Inadequate Adequate

Accounting

Accounting work

Certified public accountant

Accountant

Accounting machine operator

Tax auditor

Accounts payable clerk

Adjuster Brake adjuster

Machine adjuster

Merchandise complaint adjuster

Insurance adjuster

Agent Freight agent

Insurance agent

Sales agent

Advertising agent

Purchasing agent

Analyst Cement analyst

Food analyst

Budget analyst

Computer systems analyst

Procedure analyst

Air analyst

Broker Stock broker

Insurance broker

Real estate broker

Livestock broker

Caretaker or custodian Janitor

Guard

Building superintendent

Gardener

Groundskeeper

Property clerk

Locker attendant
Page 24

Inadequate Adequate

Claims adjuster Unemployment benefits claims taker

Auto insurance adjuster

Right-of-way claims agent

Merchandise complaint adjuster

Clerk Stock clerk

Shipping clerk

Sales clerk or salesperson (person who sold 

goods in a store)

Consultant Financial consultant

Legal consultant

Tax consultant

Marketing consultant

Contractor Construction contractor (specify working or

administrative type duties)

Managerial contractor

Painting contractor (specify administrative,

managerial, or working)

Counselor Educational counselor

Personnel counselor

Rehabilitation counselor

Guidance counselor

Marriage counselor

Data Processing Computer programmer

Data typist

Keypunch operator

Computer operator

Coding clerk

Card tape converter operator

Doctor Optometrist

Dentist

Veterinarian

Psychiatrist

Chiropractor

Engineer Civil engineer

Locomotive engineer

Mechanical engineer

Aeronautical engineer

Electrical engineer

Construction engineer

Equipment operator Road grader operator

Bulldozer operator

Trencher operator

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation Entries that Need more Detail
Page 25

Inadequate Adequate

Factory worker Assembler (with product listed)

Machine operator

Forge heater

Relief man

Turret lathe operator

Weaver

Loom fixer

Knitter, stitcher

Punch-press operator

Spray painter

Riveter

Farmworker Farmer or sharecropper (person responsible for 

operation of farm)

Farm hand (person who did general farm work 

for wages; may be a family member)

Farm helper (household relative who worked

on family farm without pay)

Farm manager (person who was hired to 

manage a farm for someone else)

Farm service worker (worker who went from

farm to farm to harvest, reap, or do similar 

operations on contract basis usually using 

own equipment)

Farm supervisor (person hired to supervise a

group of farmhands)

Fruit picker (person hired to do a particular job)

Migratory farmhand (person who moved from 

place to place to assist in planting and harvesting of crops)

Fireman Locomotive fireman

City fireman (city fire department)

Kiln fireman

Stationary fireman

Fire boss

Foreman 

(craft or activity involved should be specified)

Carpenter foreman

Truck driver foreman

Ranch foreman

Heavy equipment operator 

(type of equipment should be specified)

Clam-shovel operator

Derrick operator

Monorail crane operator

Dragline operator

Euclid operator

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation Entries that Need more Detail
Page 26

Inadequate Adequate

Helper Baker’s helper

Carpenter’s helper

Janitor’s helper

Investigator Insurance claim investigator

Income tax investigator

Financial examiner

Social welfare investigator

Laborer Construction laborer

Laundry laborer

Warehouse laborer

Oil field laborer

Layout worker Pattern maker

Sheet-metal worker

Compositor

Commercial artist

Structural steelworker

Draftsperson

Coppersmith

Maintenance worker Groundskeeper

Janitor

Carpenter

Electrician

Manager Kitchen manager

Office manager

Personnel manager

Warehouse manager

Mechanic Automobile mechanic

Auto transmission mechanic

Airplane engine mechanic

Elevator mechanic

Copy machine mechanic

Auto brake mechanic

Nurse Registered nurse

Nurse-midwife

Practical nurse

Nurse’s aide

Student nurse

Nurse practitioner

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation Entries that Need more Detail
Page 27

Inadequate Adequate

Office worker Typist

Secretary

Receptionist

Computer operator

File clerk

Bookkeeper

Physician’s assistant

Program specialist Program scheduler

Data processing systems supervisor

Metal-flow coordinator

Programmer Computer programmer

Electronic data programmer

Radio or TV program director

Production planner

Ranch worker (see Farmworker) Rancher

Ranch hand

Research (field of research should be specified; 

“associate” or “assistant” should be included if 

part of the title)

Research physicist

Research chemist

Research mathematician

Research biologist

Research associate chemist

Assistant research physicist

Research associate geologist

Sales worker Advertising sales

Insurance sales

Bond sales

Driver-sales (route selling)

Newspaper sales

Scientist Political scientist

Physicist

Sociologist

Epidemiologist

Oceanographer

Soil scientist

Shipping department Shipping and receiving clerk

Crater

Order picker

Typist

Parcel wrapper

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation Entries that Need more Detail
Page 28

Inadequate Adequate

Supervisor Typing supervisor

Accounting supervisor

Shop steward

Kitchen supervisor

Accounts supervisor

Cutting and sewing supervisor

Sales director

Route supervisor

Recreation supervisor

Service supervisor

Teacher (occupation for a teacher

should be reported at the level

taught; subject should be included

for those who taught above the elementary level)

Preschool teacher

Kindergarten teacher

Elementary school teacher

High school English teacher

College professor (mathematics)

Technician Medical laboratory technician

Dental laboratory technician

X-ray technician

Tester Cement tester

Instrument tester

Engine tester

Battery tester

Works in stockroom, office, etc.

(Names of departments or place of

work are unsatisfactory)

Shipping clerk

Filing clerk

Truck loader

Appendix A: Examples of Occupation Entries that Need more Detail
Page 29

 Appendix B 

Examples of Industry Entries that Need more 

Specificity

The following are examples of industries that require special caution in reporting. Included in this 

listing are examples of entries considered inadequate as well as the correct or adequate listing. Note 

that the examples of adequate industries do not include all acceptable titles. The most frequently 

entered inadequate industries appear in bold. Refer to Appendix C for additional information. 

Inadequate Adequate

Agency Collection agency

Advertising agency

Real estate agency

Employment agency

Travel agency

Insurance agency

Aircraft components,

Aircraft parts

Airplane engine parts factory

Propeller manufacturing

Electronic instruments factory

Wholesale aircraft parts

Auto or automobile components, 

Auto or automobile parts

Auto clutch manufacturing

Wholesale auto accessories

Auto tire manufacturing

Retail sales and installation of mufflers

Battery factory

Bakery Bakery plant (makes and sells to wholesalers,

retail stores, restaurants)

Wholesale bakery (buys from manufacturer and 

sells to grocers, restaurants, etc.)

Retail bakery (sells only on premises to 

 private individuals)

Box factory Paper box factory

Wooden box factory

Metal box factory

City or city government City street repair department

City board of health

City board of education
Page 30

Inadequate Adequate

Club, private Golf club

Fraternal club

Nightclub

Residence club

Coal Company Coal mine

Retail coal yard

Wholesale coal

County or county government County recreation department

County board of education

Credit company Credit rating bureau

Loan company

Credit clothing company

Dairy Dairy farm

Dairy bar

Wholesale dairy products

Retail dairy products

Dairy products manufacturing

Discount house,

Discount store

Retail drug store

Retail electrical appliances

Retail general merchandise

Retail clothing store

Electrical parts manufacturing Electronic tube factory

Memory core manufacturing

Transistor factory

Tape reader manufacturing

Engineering company Civil engineering consultants

General contracting

Wholesale hearing equipment

Construction machinery factory

Express company Motor freight

Railway express agency

Railroad car rental (for Union Tank Car Co., etc.)

Armored car service

Factory, mill, or plant Steel rolling mill

Hardware factory

Aircraft factory

Flour mill

Hosiery mill

Commercial printing plant

Cotton cloth mill

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Specificity
Page 31

Inadequate Adequate

Farm Cattle ranch

Crop farm

Chicken ranch

Cattle and wheat farm

Fish farm

Foundry Iron foundry

Brass foundry

Aluminum foundry

Freight company Motor freight

Air freight

Railway freight

Water transportation

Healthcare Hospital

Doctor’s office

Clinic

Private duty

Laundry Own home laundry (for a person who

laundered for pay in own home)

Laundering for private family (for person who

worked in the home of a private family)

Commercial laundry (for person who worked

in a steam laundry, hand laundry, or similar

establishment)

Lumber company Sawmill

Retail lumberyard

Planing mill

Logging camp

Wholesale lumber

Manufacturer’s agent (product sold should be 

specified) Jewelry manufacturer’s representative

Lumber manufacturer’s agent

Electric appliance manufacturers representative

Chemical manufacturer’s agent

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Specificity
Page 32

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Specificity

Inadequate Adequate

Mine Coal mine

Gold mine

Bauxite mine

Iron mine

Copper mine

Lead mine

Marble quarry

Sand and gravel pit

Nylon factory Nylon chemical factory (where chemicals are

made into fibers)

Nylon textile mill (where fibers are made into

yarn or woven into cloth)

Women’s nylon hosiery factory (where yarn is

made into hosiery)

Office Dentist’s office

Physician’s office

Insurance office

Oil industry Oil field drilling

Petroleum refinery

Retail gasoline station

Petroleum pipeline

Wholesale oil distributor

Retail fuel oil

Packing house Meat packing plant

Fruit canner

Fruit packing shed (wholesale packers and shippers)

Pipeline Natural gas pipeline

Gasoline pipeline

Petroleum pipeline

Pipeline construction

Plastics factory Plastic materials factory (where plastic materials 

are made)

Plastic products plant (where articles are

manufactured from plastic materials)

Public utility (all services should be specified, 

such as gas and electric utility, or electric and 

water utility)

Electric light and power utility

Gas utility

Telephone utility

Water supply utility

Railroad Railroad car factory

Diesel railroad repair shop

Locomotive manufacturing plant
Page 33

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Specificity

Inadequate Adequate

Repair shop Shoe repair shop

Television repair shop

Radio repair shop

Blacksmith shop

Welding shop

Auto repair shop

Machine repair shop

Research Permanent-press dresses (product of company

for which research was done)

Brandeis University (name of university where

research was done for its own use)

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (name of hospital at 

which medical research was done for its own 

use)

Commercial research (if research is the main

service of the company)

Brookings Institution (name of the nonprofit

organization)

School (public and private schools, including 

parochial, must be distinguished, and the highest 

level of instruction should be identified, such as 

junior college or senior high school)

City elementary school

Private kindergarten

Private college

Tailor shop Dry cleaning shop (provides valet service)

Custom tailor shop (makes clothes to customer’s

order)

Men’s rental clothing store

Terminal Bus terminal

Railroad terminal

Boat terminal

Airport terminal

Textile mill Cotton cloth mill

Woolen cloth mill

Cotton yarn mill

Nylon thread mill
Page 34

Inadequate Adequate

Transportation company Motor trucking

Moving and storage

Water transportation

Air transportation

Airline

Taxicab service

Subway

Elevated railway

Railroad

Car loading service

Water company Water supply

Irrigation systems

Water filtration plant

Well Oil field drilling

Oil well drilling

Salt well drilling

Water well drilling

Appendix B: Examples of Industry Entries that Need more Specificity
Page 35

 Appendix C 

Examples of Acceptable Entries for Both 

Occupation and Industry

Occupation Business/Industry

Attorney Self-employed

Attorney Legal aid society

Auditor Savings and loan

Bookkeeper Wholesale drugs

Camera operator Television station

Carpenter Building construction

Carpet installer Retail carpet sales and installation company

Cashier Bank

Chaplain State prison

Chauffeur City fire department

Chauffeur Taxicab company

Chemist Plastic film manufacturing

Computer programmer Life insurance company

Delivery driver Wholesale bakery

Dressmaker Dressmaking shop

Electrician Electric light and power company

Field examiner Veterans Administration (U.S. Government)

Flight engineer Aircraft company (manufacturing, retail, or

wholesale)

Geologist Petroleum exploration

Insurance agent Life insurance company

Janitor City office building

Judge County court

Mechanic, auto Engine repair shop

Medical doctor Board of health (state government)

Miner Coal mine

Motor operator (retired) urban transit system

These are examples of acceptable entries of occupation and corresponding business/industry 

developed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. They are provided as a guide for proper reporting 
Page 36

Occupation Business/Industry

Owner (Embalmer and Manager) Funeral home

Owner/Manager Retail grocery store

Petroleum analyst Petroleum refining

Pilot Commercial airline

Plant manager Petroleum refinery

President Business college

Printer (Apprentice) Printing shop

Production cost estimator Auto body repair shop

Professor (English) College

Quarry worker Marble quarry

Radio operator College radio station

Registered nurse Hospital

Senator U.S. Congress

Shoe designer Leather footwear factory

Stationary firefighter Steel mill

Student Junior college

Supervisor (Weaving) Cotton cloth mill

Supervisor (Office) Health and accident insurance company

Teamster (Truck Driver) Logging camp

Timber cutter Logging

Tire tester Tire manufacturing

Weaver Cotton cloth mill

Appendix C: Examples of Acceptable Entries for Both Occupation and Industry
Page 37

Appendix D 

The Vital Statistics Registration System in 

the United States

The registration of births, deaths, fetal deaths, and other vital events3 in the United States is a state 

and local function. The civil laws of every state provide for a continuous, permanent, and compulsory 

vital registration system. Each system depends on the conscientious efforts of the physicians, hospital 

personnel, funeral directors, coroners, and medical examiners in preparing or certifying information 

needed to complete the original records. For a graphic presentation of the US Vital Statistics registration 

system, please see Figure I.

Most states are divided geographically into local registration districts or units to facilitate the collection 

of vital records. A district may be a township, village, town, city, county, or other geographic area or 

a combination of two or more of these areas. In some states, however, the law provides that records 

of birth, death, and/or fetal death be sent directly from the reporting source (hospital, physician, or 

funeral director) to the state vital statistics office. In this system, functions normally performed by a 

local registration official are assumed by the staff of the state office.

In states with a local registrar system, the local registrar collects the records of events occurring in his 

or her area and transmits them to the state vital statistics office. The local registrar is required to ensure 

that a complete certificate is filed for each event occurring in that district. The state vital statistics office 

inspects each record for promptness of filing, completeness, and accuracy of information; queries for 

missing or inconsistent information; numbers the records; prepares indexes; processes the records; and 

stores the documents for permanent safekeeping.

Statistical information from the records is tabulated for use by state and local health departments, 

other governmental agencies, and various private and voluntary organizations. The data are used to 

evaluate health problems and to plan programs and services for the public. The National Center for 

Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is vested with the authority for 

administering vital statistics functions at the national level. Data files derived from individual records 

registered in the state offices – or, in a few cases, copies of the individual records themselves – are 

transmitted to NCHS. 

From these data, monthly, annual, and special statistical reports are prepared for the United States as 

a whole and for the component parts – cities, counties, states, and regions – by characteristics such as 

sex, race, and cause of death. The statistics are essential in the fields of social welfare, public health, 

and demography. They are also used for various administrative purposes, in both business and government. NCHS serves as a focal point, exercising leadership in establishing uniform practices through 

model laws, standard certificate forms, handbooks, and other instructional materials for the continued 

improvement of the vital statistics system in the United States.

3

Vital events are defined as live births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, divorces, and induced terminations of pregnancy, 

together with any change in civil status which may occur during an individual’s lifetime.
Page 38

Using Death Data for Public Health Action

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) uses death data to evaluate statistical 

patterns in mortality associated with the usual occupation and industry reported on death certificates 

(www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/surveillance/noms/). For example, the link between lung cancer and exposure 

to asbestos in jobs such as shipbuilding or construction was discovered by evaluating death certificate 

data. Since 1980, NIOSH together with NCHS and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have collected 

and reviewed information from U.S. death certificates de-identified by NCHS and/or the states for 

public health surveillance and prevention. As one of the few sources of representative data on chronic 

disease, these data are used to evaluate trends and identify potential risks for acute and chronic disease 

mortality by industrial and occupational groups. 

Lifetime occupation and industry data statements on death certificates can provide information for setting 

priorities and identifying workplace settings associated with increased or decreased risk of disease and 

injury. The data have been used in analyses by NIOSH and other researchers to expand knowledge on 

occupationally-related health outcomes ranging from hepatitis to silica-related systemic silicosis. The 

information generated is used to inform public health officials about mortality risks by industry and 

occupation and to identify job-related risk areas. 

Because of the reliability of the data for this large and representative, population-based surveillance 

system, the findings based on this information have been used to support U.S. health and safety recommendations, support prevention activities, and enhance public health education, medical treatment, and 

screening. Death data are often used for the study of rare disease, workers of minority races and ethnic 

populations, and workplaces where worker records are not maintained. 

NIOSH is charged with conducting occupational hazard and health surveillance to identify trends and 

assist in setting priorities for research and prevention activities. Since the 1980s, NIOSH has collaborated 

with NCHS, NCI, the U.S. Census Bureau and other federal agencies, and state health departments to 

capture and code usual occupation and kind of business or industry on death records for surveillance 

of occupationally related diseases, injuries, and exposures. For information about the classification 

systems used to code the industry and occupation text that funeral directors and their staff record, see 

the U.S. Census Bureau’s Industry and Occupation Overview page at http://www.census.gov/hhes/

www/ioindex/overview.html.

U.S. states that use the 2003 revised standard death certificate and enter electronically the text narrative 

of occupation and industry can now code these data for statistical use using the new NIOSH desktop 

computer-assisted or autocoder coding system (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coding/software.html). 

An internet-based version of the coding system will become available in 2013. NIOSH can also help 

states improve their coding of usual occupation and type of business or industry items on the death 

certificate by conducting at least two training classes per year in the Census 2000 codes that are now 

being used in conjunction with the revised death certificate (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coding/

training.html). NIOSH has responsibility for the quality of occupation and industry narratives and 

their coding, and conducts quality control in collaboration with NCHS on the coded occupation and 

industry data for states. 

Appendix D: The Vital Statistics Registration System in the United States
Page 39

Appendix D: The Vital Statistics Registration System in the United States
Page 40

To receive NIOSH documents or more information about occupational safety 

and health topics, contact NIOSH

1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636)

TTY: 1–888–232–6348

email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

or visit the NIOSH Website at www.cdc.gov/niosh.

For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012-149 

June 2012 

Delivering on the Nation’s promise:

safety and health at work for all people

through research and prevention