Guidelines 

for Reporting 

Occupation and 

Industry on 

Death Certificates 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Public Health Service 

Centers for Disease Control 

National Center for Health Statistics 

Hyattsvi I le, Maryland 

March 1988 
Preface 

This handbook is prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for 

Disease Control, U.S. Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human 

Services, and contains instructions for funeral directors1 for completing the occupation and industry items on the death certificate. Xt pertains to the 1989 revision of the 

U.S. Standard Certificate of Death and the 1977 revision of the Model State Vital 

Statistics Act and Regulations. This handbook is intended to serve as a model for 

adaptation by any vital statistics registration area. 

Other handbooks available as references on preparing and registering vital records 

are: 

l Hospitals’ and Physicians’ Handbook on Bitth Registration and Fetal Death 

Reporting 

l Medical Examiners’ and Coroners’ H&book on Death Registration and Fetal 

Death Reporting 

l Physicians’ Handbook on Medical Certi$icatitm of Death 

l Funeral Directors’ Handbook on Death Registrat%on and Fetal Death Reporting 

l Handbook on the Repotting of In.duced Temination of fignancy 

l Handbook on A&&age Registration 

l Hmdbook on Divorce Registration 

‘Funeral service licensees are known by several titles in this country, including funeral director, 

undertaker, mortician, embalmer, mortuary science licensee, and mortuary science practitioner. For the 

purposes of this handbook, the term “funeral director” includes all of these titles as they relate to persons 

who have charge of the disposition of a dead body or fetus and who are responsible for completing and 

filing death certificates and, in some States, fetal death reports. 
Contents 

Preface ............................................................. 

Introduction ........................................................ 

Part I. Importance of Occupation and Industry Statistics. .................. 

Part II. General Instructions for Collecting Occupation and Business/Industry 

Data .............................................................. 

Definitions of Occupation and Business/Industry. ...................... 

Importance of the Business/Industry Item. ............................ 

Obtaining Information From the Informant ........................... 

Appropriate Entries ............................................... 

Clarification of Selected Entries ..................................... 

Part III. Completing the Occupation Item (Item 12a) ..................... 

Part IV. Completing the Business/Industry Item (Item 12b). ............... 

Reporting Government Agencies .................................... 

Distinguishing Among Manufacturing, Wholesaling, Retailing, and Service 

Establishments...................; ............................... 

Businesses Located in Person’s Own Home ........................... 

Persons Who Do Not Work at One Specific Location. .................. 

Domestic and Other Private Household Workers. ...................... 

Firms With More Than One Business ................................ 

Part V. Inadequate Entries Most Frequently Reported in the Occupation and 

Business/Industry Items ............................................ 

Part VI. Summary ................................................... 

Items To Check in Filling Out Occupation and Business/Industry. ........ 

Illustrations of Acceptable Entries for Both Occupation and Industry ..... 

Appendixes 

A. The U.S. Standard Certificate of Death ............................... 

B. The Vital Statistics Registration System in the United States. ............ 

List of figures 

1. Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 63.year-old female. ... 

2. Properly completed entries on death certificate of an 85year-old male .... 

3. Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 2O-year-old male ..... 

4. Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 61-year-old male ..... 

. . . 

111 

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5 

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17 

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18 

23 

24 

24 

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30 

2 

3 

4 

4 

V 
Introduction 

This publication was prepared as a guide for reporting occupation and industry on 

death certificates. Its purpose is to serve as an aid to the funeral director in obtaining 

information and filling out the occupation and industry items on the death certificate. 

Funeral service licensees are known by several titles in this country. These include 

funeral director, undertaker, mortician, embalmer, mortuary science licensee, and 

mortuary science practitioner. In this handbook the term “funeral director” includes 

all these titles as they relate to persons who have charge of the disposition of a dead 

body or fetus and who are responsible for completing and filing the death certificate. 

This publication is also intended to assist the registrar of vital statistics in determining 

the acceptability of entries for these items. 

Mortality statistics by occupation and type of industry are currently much in demand 

because of increased interest on the part of both government and private industry in 

work-related health hazards. Data that can point out potential hazards in the 

workplace can lead to the development of safety equipment or procedures for the 

protection of the working population. Because occupation and industry information is 

entered on death certificates, they are the most logical source of the information 

needed to study the relationships between decedent’s occupation, type of industry, and 

mortality. It is, therefore, essential that funeral directors, registrars, and others 

involved in the registration process be aware of the necessity for accurate and 

complete reporting of these items. The manner in which these items are completed on 

the death certificate will have considerable influence on the adequacy of the resulting 

occupational mortality statistics. 

Although the funeral director is responsible for obtaining the personal data on the 

death certificate, including occupation and business/industry, the responsibility for 

review and final acceptance of the records falls on the registrar. Therefore, this 

publication is directed to registrars as well as funeral directors. 
Part I-Importance of occupation and 

industry statistics 

One of the most important factors relating to the health of the working population is 

the risk involved in the working environment. Information made available by life 

insurance companies provides some indication of the risks in various occupations and 

industries. However, because this information relates only to the deceased policyholders, it does not necessarily reflect the impact on the health of the total population. 

Through Workmen’s Compensation, some additional information is available on 

deaths caused by accidents or diseases that can be traced to the workers’ occupations 

and industries. The available data indicate that there is insufficient information for 

substantiating and evaluating the problems. 

The inadequacy of health data by occupation and industry is not due to lack of interest 

but results from difficulties encountered in the collection and proper classification of 

the information on the death certificates. Public health workers, industrial organizations, members of the medical and legal professions, as well as the general public, can 

all benefit from the additional information that would be obtained through proper and 

complete reporting of these items on death certificates. The occupational and medical 

entries of a properly completed death certificate of a 63.year-old female are shown in 

figure 1. 

. 

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Figure 1 l Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 63year-old female 

2 
Data on the relative health risk of various occupations and industries can be used to 

make decisions on where to concentrate efforts in industrial health work. Proper 

reporting of occupation and industry information is important for the development of 

safety regulations covering industrial workers. It is even more important to obtain 

information on the vast number of persons who are gainfully employed but not 

protected by regulations applying to the industrial worker. These include millions of 

agricultural workers, professional persons, and employees in public and private 

services. 

Mortality data by occupation and industry can serve many purposes if accurately 

collected on a nationwide basis. 

1. It is possible to compare death rates among different occupations and industries 

and to identify high-risk categories. 

2. The relative risks (or death rates) for workers in one section of the country can 

be compared with those of similar workers in other sections of the country. 

3. Occupational mortality rates can be used in determining insurance premiums 

and death benefits for selected groups of workers. 

4. Areas in need of further research can be identified, such as the effects of 

exposure to cancer-causing agents, lung diseases related to dust or chemical 

exposure, and causes of industrial accidents. 

Some additional examples of proper entries of occupation, industry, and cause of 

death which further point out the importance of proper reporting, particularly as these 

items may relate to health or cause of death, are shown in figures 2-4. . 

tk~ua4wl84J r 

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if 818~. tnadng to imndato DUE TO (OCI AS A CONSEWEWE OF): 

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Figure 2. Properly completed entries on death certificate of an 850year-old male 

3 
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WnwmJ COWl.EtJON OF CAUSE 

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Yes Yes 

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q N8tural 0hf-a fJl’f&ar. Y-J wea w 1381 Machine malfunctioned and fell 

gj AccJdalt Invmrorria, July 21, 198$ 2: 30 PM Yes on him 

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\ 0-w m Bm.'-Pinewood oil fielc Rt. 3, Houston, Texas 

Figure 3. Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 20.year-old male 

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. 

. 

I 

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OF DEATH, IYa & mJ 

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. . . 

Figure 4. Properly completed entries on death certificate of a 6%year-old male 
Part II-General instructions for 

collecting occupation and 

business/industry data 

This guide sets forth the principles for reporting the decedent’s “usual occupation” 

and “kind of business/industry” on death certificates that will correspond as closely as 

possible to the data collected in the 1990 and subsequent population censuses. 

Mortality measures are calculated using the population by occupation and industry 

observed in the decennial censuses as a denominator and the number of deaths by 

occupation and industry as a numerator. The reliability of the rates will be affected by 

the comparability of responses on the death certificates with the census returns. 

Reference to the instructions that follow will eliminate many of the difficulties that 

frequently arise in filling out the occupation and industry items on death certificates. 

Because the occupation and industry responses will be coded and classified, any 

unclassifiable entry will be queried; thus the funeral director can eliminate unnecessary correspondence by properly entering the data initially. 

Definitions of occupation and business/industry . 

The U.S. Standard Certificate of Death contains two items relating to occupation and 

industry: “Decedent’s usual occupation” and “Kind of business/industry.” Decedent’s 

usual occupation means the type of job the individual was engaged in for most of his 

or her working life. It is not necessarily the highest paid job nor the job considered the 

most prestigious, but the one occupation, of perhaps several, that accounted for the 

greatest number of working years. K&d of busines,s/industry refers to the particular 

type of activity within which the chosen occupation is found. Specifying the name of a 

company is not sufficient unless the name describes the nature of the business. 

Example: An elderly man may have worked between the ages of 25 and 60 as a 

welder in a steel-fabricating shop and then shifted to lighter work, such as 

night watchman, prior to retirement. Although he may have been a night 

watchman for several years before retirement, the proper entry on the 

death certificate would be “welder” for occupation and “steel fabrication” 

for industry. 

6 
Importance of the business/industry item 

Both the occupation and business/industry items on the death certificate are required 

to accurately describe an individual’s occupation. Inadequate description of 

business/industry has been a major reporting deficiency on death certificates. This 

item is necessary and is as important as the occupation. 

Examples: A person whose occupation was “grinder” may have been employed in a 

chemical factory, textile mill, car repair shop, feed mill, glass factory, 

optical factory, television factory, sawmill, sugar refinery, and so forth. The 

various occupations described in the combinations of “grinder” with the 

industries range from those requiring skilled craftsmen to unskilled 

laborers, and the occupational hazards vary with the material involved and 

the nature of the task. Therefore, the entry of “grinder” for occupation or 

entries of “grinder” for occupation and “factory” for industry on the death 

certificate are unacceptable. Many inadequate entries could be rendered 

acceptable by the proper completion of the industry item. For instance, 

“laborer” and “molder” are incomplete entries for occupation without the 

information on business/industry; however, “laborer” for occupation and 

“sawmill” for industry and “molder” for occupation and “brass factory” 

for industry are complete and acceptable entries. 

Obtaining information from the informant 

In obtaining information to complete the occupation and industry items, it is 

important to determine whether the informant has sufficient knowledge of the 

decedent’s working history to provide an accurate description. If not, it may be 

necessary to contact other family members or friends to obtain the information 

needed. Sometimes it is necessary to ask a number of probing questions, particularly 

if the decedent has had several different occupations. 

The following are examples of questions that might be asked to obtain an accurate 

description of the decedent’s occupation and place of employment during the majority 

of his or her working years. 

“For whom di d work?” 

“What kind of business or industry was this?” 

“What kind of work was doing?” 

“How long hadn. been doing this kind of work?” 

If the decedent had multiple occupations or worked for several businesses, it will be 

necessary to continue questioning the informant until it can be determined which 

would be the appropriate or “usual” occupation. 

6 
Appropriate entries 

Fancy or lengthy entries are not desired. For instance, an entry of “interior decorator” 

for a person who did painting of inside walls and woodwork would result in improper 

classification. 

Family members have a tendency to report the decedent’s occupation as one perhaps 

more prestigious than the facts warrant. There also appears to be a tendency to report 

positions to which the decedent was elected or appointed even though that position 

was held for a relatively short time. 

On the other hand, family members will sometimes report the decedent’s occupation 

.as printer, baker, or brewer, when the occupation should be proprietor (owner) of a 

publishing firm, bakery, or brewery. 

Some examples of proper entries relating to occupation and business/industry on the 

U.S. Standard Certificate of Death are as follows: 

Occupation Business IIndustry 

Timber cutter Logging 

Shoe designer Leather footwear factory 

Tire tester Tire manufacturing 

Petroleum analyst Petroleum refining 

Clarification of selected entries 

If the decedent is under 14 years of age, enter “infant,” “child,” or “student” in the 

occupation or business/industry item. Certificates for decedents 14 years and over are 

not acceptable if the items for occupation and business/industry are blank or if a 

dash (-) has been entered. An appropriate entry should be made, such as, construction 

laborer, student, or never worked. 

Some of the most common incomplete entries are described in the remainder of this 

section. Proper entries are also explained. 

Retired-Never enter “retired.” If the deceased was retired, enter the kind of work 

done during most of his or her working life. 

Institutionalized, disabled, and unemployed-The usual occupation and business/industry of the decedent should be entered if he or she was ever employed, even if 

institutionalized, disabled, or unemployed for a long period of time. 

Self-employed-If the person was self-employed, the kind of work performed must be 

determined. “Manager” should not be listed as the occupation unless the person 

7 
, actually spent most of his or her time in the management of the business. If the person 

spent most of his or her time in the particular trade or craft, enter that as the 

occupation; for example, shoe repairman, beautician, or carpenter. The entry for 

business/industry for the self-employed should include both the proper industry and 

the entry “self-employed”; for example, “Self-employed-retail grocery store.” 

Care must be exercised in the completion of occupation and business/industry for the 

following categories of people. Acceptable entries are as follows: 

1. Housewife, Househusband, Homemaker- In the case of an adult woman, be 

certain to ask if she worked outside the home. If the decedent was a housewife 

or homemaker and also worked outside her own home during most of her 

working life, enter the usual occupation and business/industry worked outside 

the home. If the decedent was a housewife or homemaker and worked only in 

her own home enter “Housewife” or “Homemaker” for occupation and “Own 

home” for business/industry. If the decedent was a househusband, follow the 

same procedures as listed for a housewife. 

If the decedent was a homemaker and worked in someone else’s home during 

most of his or her working life, enter “Homemaker” for occupation and 

‘Someone else’s home” for business/industry. 

Example: “Was- a housewife in her own home?” 

“Did she also have a job outside the home?” 

“Was a homemaker in Mrs. Jones’ home?” 

2. Student-If the deceased was a student at the time of death, the term “student” 

should be entered for occupation and type of school, such as high school or 

college, entered for business/industry. 

3. Never worked-If the decedent was not a student or homemaker and had never 

worked at the time of death, the occupation entry should be “never worked.” 

4. Unknown - “Unknown” should be entered only after every effort has been made 

to determine the facts. 

8 
Part III-Completing the occupation 

item 

In the space for “usual occupation” on the death certificate, the word or words which 

most clearly describe the nature of the duties or the kind of work performed should 

be entered. The answer to the question should clearly specify the kind of work or 

nature of duties performed by the deceased person during his or her life. 

Professional, technical, and skilled occupations usually require lengthy periods of 

training or education. Therefore, in reporting the occupation for a very young person, 

careful inquiry should be made to determine whether the person was actually a 

trainee, apprentice, or helper; for example, accountant trainee, electrician trainee, 

apprentice electrician, electrician’s helper. 

More and more men and women are employed in positions formerly associated with 

either a male or a female. However, when trades such as plumber or carpenter are 

given for a woman, or homemaker for a man, it is necessary to verify by appropriate 

questions that he or she did perform that type of work. 

There are many occupations that may sound strange. The title given by the respondent 

should be used in these cases whenever he or she is absolutely sure that the title is 

correct; for example, “sand hog” is the title for a certain worker engaged in the 

construction of underwater tunnels, and “printer’s devil” is sometimes used for an 

apprentice printer. Where these or any other unusual occupation titles are entered 

and the combined entries for occupation and business/industry do not clarify the 

occupation, a few words of description should be added for clarification. 

It is important that the entry for occupation be very specific. General or vague terms 

are not satisfactory. For some occupations the common titles are inadequate. The 

following list may be helpful in clarifying certain unusual occupations: 

1. Contractor versus skilled worker: A “contractor” would have been engaged 

principally in obtaining contracts and supervising the work. A “skilled worker” 

would have worked with his or her own tools as a carpenter, plasterer, plumber, 

or electrician. A “skilled worker” may have hired others to work for him or her. 

9 
2. 

3 . 

4. 

5 . 

6 . 

7. 

Housekeeper (paid) versus housemaid: A “paid housekeeper” would have had 

the full responsibility for the management of the household. A “housemaid” 

(general housework), hired helper, or kitchen maid would not have been a 

housekeeper. 

Interior decorator versus painter or paperhanger: An “interior decorator” would 

have been responsible for decoration plans for the interior of homes, hotels, 

offices, and so forth, and supervised the placement of furniture. Therefore, a 

house painter or paperhanger should not be reported as having been an interior 

decorator. 

Machinist versus mechanic or machine operator: “Machinist” refers to a skilled 

craftsman who constructs metal parts, tools, and machines through the use of 

blueprints, machine and hand tools, and precise measuring instruments. The 

duties of a “mechanic” would have been to inspect, service, and repair or 

overhaul machinery. A “machine operator” would have operated a factory 

machine; for example, a drill press or winder. 

Secretary versus official secretary: “Secretary” should be reported for a person 

who performed secretarial duties in an office. A secretary who was elected or 

appointed as an officer in a business should be reported as “official secretary.” 

Names of departments or places of work: Occupation entries that give only the 

departments or a place of work are unsatisfactory. Examples of unsatisfactory 

entries are “worked in a warehouse,” ’ ‘worked in a shipping department.” A 

proper entry would be “stock clerk, delivery” and business/industry as “electronic parts, retail.” 

Various activities: If the deceased was engaged in a variety of activities (for 

example, a farmer who performed a variety of farm tasks, or a factory relief 

worker who operated several different machines), try to determine the activities 

or duties that most clearly indicate the occupation of the deceased person. 

The following list consists of examples of occupations for which care must be taken. 

Included in this listing are examples of entries considered inadequate as well as the 

correct or adequate entries. The most frequent inadequately reported occupations are 

designated by an asterisk. Note that the examples listed as adequate entries do not 

include all acceptable occupation titles. 

Inadequate 

Accounting, 

Accounting work 

Adequate 

Certified public accountant 

Accountant 

Accounting machine operator 

Tax auditor 

Accounts payable clerk 

10 
Inadequate 

Adjuster 

Agent 

Broker 

Caretaker or custodian 

Claims adjuster 

Clerk 

*Consultant 

*Contractor 

Adequate 

Brake adjuster 

Machine adjuster 

Merchandise complaint adjuster 

Insurance adjuster 

Freight agent 

Insurance agent 

Sales agent 

Advertising agent 

Purchasing agent 

Cement analyst 

Food analyst 

Budget analyst 

Computer systems analyst 

Procedure analyst 

Air analyst 

Stock broker 

Insurance broker 

Real estate broker 

Livestock broker 

Janitor 

Guard 

Building superintendent 

Gardener 

Groundskeeper 

Sexton 

Property clerk 

Locker attendant 

Unemployment benefits claims taker 

Auto insurance adjuster 

Right-of-way claims agent 

Merchandise complaint adjuster 

Stock clerk 

Shipping clerk 

Sales clerk or salesperson (person who sold 

goods in a store) 

Financial consultant 

Legal consultant 

Tax consultant 

Construction contractor (specify working or 

administrative type duties) 

Managerial contractor 

Painting contractor (specify administrative, 

managerial, or working) 
Adequate 

Educational counselor 

Personnel counselor 

Rehabilitation counselor 

Guidance counselor 

Marriage counselor 

Computer programmer 

Data typist 

Keypunch operator 

Computer operator 

Coding clerk 

Card tape converter operator 

Physician 

Dentist 

Veterinarian 

Osteopath 

Chiropractor 

Civil engineer 

Locomotive engineer 

Mechanical engineer 

Aeronautical engineer 

Electrical engineer 

Construction engineer 

Singer 

Dancer 

Acrobat 

Musician 

Road grader operator 

Bulldozer operator 

Trencher operator 

Electric motor assembler 

Forge heater 

Turret lathe operator 

Weaver 

Loom fixer 

Knitter stitcher 

Punch-press operator 

Spray painter 

Riveter 

Farmer or sharecropper (person responsible 

for operation of farm) 

Farmhand (person who did general farmwork 

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) 

Inadequate 

*Counselor 

Data processing 

Doctor 

Engineer 

Entertainer 

Equipment operator 

Factory worker 

Farmworker 

12 
Inadequate 

Farmworker (continued) 

Fireman 

Foreman (craft or activity involved 

should be specified) 

Heavy equipment operator (type of 

equipment should be specified) 

Helper 

Investigator 

*Laborer 

Layout worker 

Adequate 

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) 

Locomotive fireman 

City fireman (city fire department) 

Kiln fireman 

Stationary fireman 

Fire boss 

Carpenter foreman 

Truck driver foreman 

Ranch foreman 

Clam-shovel operator 

Derrick operator 

Monorail crane operator 

Dragline operator 

Euclid operator 

Baker’s helper 

Carpenter’s helper 

Janitor’s helper 

Insurance claim investigator 

Income tax investigator 

Financial examiner 

Detective 

Social welfare investigator 

Sweeper 

Cleaning person 

Baggage porter 

Janitor 

Stevedore 

Window washer 

Car cleaner 

Section head 

Handtruck laborer 

Pattern maker 

Sheet-metal worker 

Compositor 

Commercial artist 

Structural steelworker 

Draftsperson 

Coppersmith 13 
Inadequate 

.,;4- 

*Maintenance worker 

*Mechanic 

*Nurse 

Office clerk, 

Office work, 

Office worker 

Adequate 

Groundskeeper 

Janitor 

Carpenter 

Electrician 

Auto engine mechanic 

Auto transmission mechanic 

Airplane mechanic 

Elevator mechanic 

Office machine mechanic 

Auto brake mechanic 

Registered nurse 

Nurse-midwife 

Practical nurse 

Nurse’s aide 

Student nurse 

Nurse practitioner 

Typist 

Secretary 

Receptionist 

Comptometer 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 Research physicist 

specified; “associate” or “assistant” Research chemist 

should be included if part of title) Research mathematician 

Research biologist 

Research associate chemist 

Assistant research physicist 

Research associate geologist 

Sales worker Advertising sales 

Insurance sales 

Bond sales 

Canvasser 

Driver-sales (route selling) 

Fruit peddler 

Newspaper sales 

14 
Inadequate 

*Scientist 

Shipping department 

Systems analyst 

Teacher (occupation for a teacher 

should be reported at the level 

taught; subject should be included 

for those who taught above the 

elementary level) 

Technician 

Tester 

Trucker 

Works in stock room, office, etc. 

(names of departments or place of 

Adequate 

Political scientist 

Physicist 

Sociologist 

Home economist 

Oceanographer 

Soil scientist 

Shipping and receiving clerk 

Crater 

Order picker 

Typist 

Parcel wrapper 

Typing supervisor 

Chief bookkeeper 

Shop steward 

Kitchen supervisor 

Head buyer 

Cutting and sewing supervisor 

Sales director 

Route supervisor 

Computer systems analyst 

Contract coordinator-manufacturing 

Production planner 

Preschool teacher 

Kindergarten teacher 

Elementary school teacher 

High school English teacher 

College professor (mathematics) 

Medical laboratory technician 

Dental laboratory technician 

X-ray technician 

Cement tester 

Instrument tester 

Engine tester 

Battery tester 

Truck driver 

Trucking contractor 

Electric trucker 

Hand trucker 

Shipping clerk 

Filing clerk 

work are unsatisfactory) Truck loader 

15 
Part IV-Completing the 

business/industry item 

There should be an entry in the space for “Kind of business/industry” if an occupation 

is reported. Only terms that clearly and specifically describe the kind of business/industry at the location where the decedent was employed should be used. The terms 

used should indicate both a general and a specific function; for example, copper mine, 

fountain pen manufacturer, wholesale grocery, retail bookstore, road construction, 

shoe repair service. Words such as mine, manufacturer, wholesale, retail, construction, and repair service show the general function. Words such as copper, fountain 

pen, grocery, bookstore, road, and shoe further identify the industry by giving the 

product. 

Company names should not be used. Many large companies, such as Du Pont and U.S. 

Steel, are engaged in several types of businesses or industries. For small companies, 

because the nature of the business is only known locally, usually no useful information 

can be obtained from the company name. 

. 

Asking the appropriate questions of the respondent is very important. For example, if the 

respondent reports that the decedent worked for a metal furniture company, he or she 

should be asked, “Do they manufacture or do they just sell metal furniture?” If the 

response is that they just sell, then ask “Do they sell to other stores (wholesale) or to 

individuals (retail)?” Accordingly, the possible entries would be “metal furniture 

manufacturer,” “furniture wholesaler,” or “furniture retailer.” Where possible, 

always specify for furniture manufacturers the major material used, such as wood, 

metal, plastic, and so forth. 

Reporting government agencies 

The name of the government agency is adequate when the activity of the agency is 

absolutely clear; for example, U.S. Bureau of the Census, city fire department. If the 

government agency is responsible for several activities, it would be necessary to report 

that information along with the name of the agency. For example, for a person who 

had been employed by a city department of public works, an additional clarifying entry 

might be one of the following-‘“street repair,” “garbage collection,” “sewage 

disposal,” or “water supply.” The entry should also clearly state the level of 

government; for example, Federal, State, county, and so forth. 

16 
Distinguishing among m bpufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, and 

service establishments 

Even though a manufacturing plant sells its products in large quantities to other 

manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers, it should not be reported as a wholesale 

company. It is a manufacturing company. A wholesale company buys, rather than 

makes, products in large quantities for resale to other retailers. A retailer sells 

primarily to individual users. Service establishments, such as hotels, laundries, 

cleaning shops, advertising agencies, and automobile repair shops, provide services to 

individuals and organizations. For example, an establishment where hardware is made 

is a hardware manufacturing company even though there is a sales office in the 

factory. An establishment that buys hardware in large quantities for resale to retailers 

is a wholesale hardware company. 

Businesses located in person’s own home 

Some people conduct their businesses in their own homes. These businesses should be 

reported in the same manner as regular business establishments; for example, 

dressmaking shop, lending library, cabinetmaking shop, radio repair shop, physician’s 

office, and so forth. 

Persons who do not work at one specific location 

Some people’s work may have been done on the spot rather than in a specific store, 

factory, or office. In these cases, report the kind of organization for which they 

worked. For example, among those who normally work at different locations at 

different times are census interviewers, building painters, and refrigeration mechanics; their industry might be U.S. Bureau of the Census, building contractor, or 

refrigeration repair service. 

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. The proper business/industry entry for a domestic worker who was employed in the home of another person 

is “Someone else’s home.” For a person who cleaned offices located in private homes, 

such as doctor or lawyer, the proper entry would be “doctor’s office,” “lawyer’s 

office,” and so forth. 

17 
Firms with more than one business 

Some firms are engaged in more than one business or industrial activity. If the 

activities are carried on in separate places, describe the business in which the person 

actually worked. For example, the business/industry of a chemist who worked in a 

papermill operated by the Eastman Kodak Company should be reported as “papermill,” not camera factory. Where two or more activities are carried on in the same 

place, report the major business/industry of the establishment. For example, the 

industry for a miner who worked in a coal mine operated by the U.S. Steel 

Corporation should be reported as “coal mine,” not steel mill. 

For some industries, the common titles are not adequate. 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 listing of adequate titles does not include all acceptable titles. 

Inadequate 

Agency 

Aircraft components, 

Aircraft parts 

Auto or automobile components, 

Auto or automobile parts 

Bakery 

Box factory 

City or city government 

Adequate 

Collection agency 

Advertising agency 

Real estate agency 

Employment agency 

Travel agency 

Insurance agency 

Airplane engine parts factory 

Propeller manufacturing 

Electronic instruments factory 

Wholesale aircraft parts 

Auto clutch manufacturing 

Wholesale auto accessories 

Auto tire manufacturing 

Retail sales and installation of mufflers 

Battery factory 

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) 

Paper box factory 

Wooden box factory 

Metal box factory 

City street repair department 

City board of health 

City board of education 

18 
Adequate 

Golf club 

Fraternal’ club 

Nightclub 

Residence club 

Coal mine 

Retail coal yard 

Wholesale coal 

County recreation department 

County board of education 

Credit rating bureau 

Loan company 

Credit clothing company 

Dairy farm 

Dairy depot 

Dairy bar 

Wholesale dairy products 

Retail dairy products 

Dairy products manufacturing 

Inadequate 

Club, private 

Coal company 

County or county government 

Credit company 

Dairy 

Discount house, 

Discount store 

Retail drug store 

Retail electrical appliances 

Retail general merchandise 

Retail clothing store 

Electrical parts manufacturing 

Engineering company 

Electronic tube factory 

Memory core manufacturing 

Transistor factory 

Tape reader manufacturing 

Civil engineering consultants 

General contracting 

Wholesale hearing equipment 

Construction machinery factory 

Express company 

Factory, mill, or plant 

Motor freight 

Railway express agency 

Railroad car rental (for Union Tank Car Co., 

etc.) 

Armored car service 

Steel rolling mill 

Hardware factory 

Aircraft factory 

Flour mill 

Hosiery mill 

Commercial printing plant 

Cotton cloth mill 

Iron foundry 

Brass foundry 

Aluminum foundry 

Foundry 

19 
Adequate 

Motor freight 

Air freight 

Railway freight 

Water transportation 

Fur dressing plant 

Fur garment factory 

Retail fur store 

Wholesale fur 

Inadequate 

Freight company 

Laundry 

Lumber company 

Fur repair shop 

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) 

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 manufacturer’s 

representative 

Chemical manufacturer’s agent 

Mine Coal mine 

Gold mine 

Bauxite mine 

Iron mine 

Copper mine 

Lead mine 

Marble quarry 

Sand and gravel pit 

Nylon factory 

Office 

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 yam is 

made into hosiery) 

Dentist’s office 

Physician’s office 

Public stenographer’s office 

20 
Inadequate Adequate 

Oil industry 

Packing house 

Plastics factory 

Public utility (all services should 

be specified, such as gas and 

electric utility, or electric and 

water utility) 

Railroad car shop 

Repair shop 

Research 

Oil field drilling 

Petroleum refinery 

Retail gasoline station 

Petroleum pipeline 

Wholesale oil distributor 

Retail fuel oil 

Meat packing plant 

Fruit canner 

Fruit packing shed (wholesale packers and 

shippers) 

Natural gas pipeline 

Gasoline pipeline 

Petroleum pipeline 

Pipeline construction 

Plastic materials factory (where plastic 

materials are made) 

Plastic products plant (where articles are 

manufactured from plastic materials) 

Electric light and power utility 

Gas utility 

Telephone 

Water supply utility 

Railroad car factory 

Diesel railroad repair shop 

Locomotive manufacturing plant 

Shoe repair shop 

Television repair shop 

Radio repair shop 

Blacksmith shop 

Welding shop 

Auto repair shop 

Machine repair shop 

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 

=) 

Commercial research (if research is the main 

service of the company) 

Brookin@ Institution (name of the nonprofit 

organization) 

21 
Inadequate 

.,:iSchool (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) 

Tailor shop 

Terminal 

Textile mill 

Transportation company 

Water company 

Well 

Adequate 

City elementary school 

Private kindergarten 

Private college 

State university 

Dry cleaning shop (provides valet service) 

Custom tailor shop (makes clothes to 

customer’s order) 

Men’s rental clothing store 

Bus terminal 

Railroad terminal 

Boat terminal 

Airport terminal 

Cotton cloth mill 

Woolen cloth mill 

Cotton yam mill 

Nylon thread mill 

Motor trucking 

Moving and storage 

Water transportation 

Air transportation 

Airline 

Taxicab service 

Subway 

Elevated railway 

Railroad 

Petroleum pipeline 

Car loading service 

Water supply 

Irrigation systems 

Water filtration plant, 

Oil field drilling 

Oil well drilling 

Salt well drilling 

Water well drilling 

22 
Part V-Inadequate entries most 

frequently reported in the occupation 

and business/industry items 

1. “Civil Service/government” entered in occupation. 

Specify: Clerical 

Warehouseman 

Official 

Statistician 

2. “Electronics” entered in occupation or business/industry. 

Occupation item 

Specify: Electronics salesperson 

Electronic repairman 

Businessllndustry item 

Specify: Electronics, 

Electronics, Communication equipment 

Electronics, Computer equipment 

> 

Manufacturing 

or 

Wholesale 

or 

Retail 

3 . “Odd jobs, ” ‘tarious jobs,” and so forth, reported as usual occupation or kind of 

business/industry should be specified as vpe of job: 

Construction job 

Yardwork 

Repair work (or all of the above) 

4. Union/Local No. reported as usual occupation or kind of business/industry 

requires clarification. 

Was decedent a paid union official? 

What kind of workers does Local No. represent? 

Examples: Dock workers 

Tobacco workers 

Plumbers 

Electricians 

Hospital workers 

23 
Part VI-Summary 

Items to check in filling out occupation and business/industry 

1. 

2. 

All death certificates for persons 14 years of age or older must have entries for 

both “decedent’s usual occupation” and “kind of business/industry.” 

Do not use “retired.” If the decedent had retired from his or her usual 

occupation, the “‘usual occupation” and “business/industry” of the decedent 

must be specified. 

“Self-employed” by itself is incomplete. The kind of work must be determined. 

The entry for business/industry should include both the proper business/industry 

and the entry “Self-employed.” 

Give the kind of industry, not the company name. 

In the case of an adult woman, be certain to ask if she worked outside the home. 

If the decedent was a housewife or homemaker and also worked outside her own 

home during most of her working life, enter the usual occupation and business/ 

industry worked outside the home. If the decedent was a housewife or 

homemaker and worked only in her own home, enter “Housewife” or “Homemaker” for occupation and “Own home” for business/industry. If the decedent 

was a househusband, follow the same procedures as listed for a housewife. 

If the decedent was a homemaker and worked in someone else’s home during most of 

his or her working life, enter “Homemaker” for occupation and “Someone else’s 

home” for business/industry. 

6. Occupations such as the following are incomplete and must be qualified: 

Accounting Caretaker or custodian Data processing 

Accounting work Claims adjuster Doctor 

Adjuster Clerk Engineer 

Agent Consultant Entertainer 

Analyst Contractor Equipment operator 

Broker Counselor Factory worker 

24 
Farmworker 

Fireman 

Foreman 

Heavy equipment operator 

Helper 

Investigator 

Laborer 

Layout worker 

Maintenance worker 

Mechanic 

Nurse 

Office clerk 

Office worker 

Office work 

Program specialist 

Programmer 

Ranch worker 

Research 

Sales worker 

Scientist 

Shipping department 

Supervisor 

Systems analyst 

Teacher 

Technician 

Tester 

Trucker 

Works in stock room, 

office, etc. 

See part III for examples of adequate entries for these and other occupations. 

If necessary, the respondent should be questioned further so that more 

complete information can be entered. 

7. Industries such as the following are inadequate: 

Agency Laundry 

Aircraft components Lumber company 

Aircraft parts Manufacturer’s agent 

Auto or automobile components Mine 

Auto or automobile parts Nylon factory 

Bakery Office 

Box factory Oil industry 

City or city government Packing house 

Club, private Pipeline 

Coal company Plastics factory 

County or county government Public utility 

Credit company Railroad car shop 

Dairy Repair shop 

Discount house Research 

Discount store School 

Electrical parts manufacturing Tailor shop 

Engineering company Terminal 

Express company Textile mill 

Factory, mill, or plant Transportation company 

Foundry Water company 

Freight company Well 

Fur company 

See part IV for examples of adequate entries for these and other industries. If 

necessary, the respondent should be questioned further so that more complete 

information can be entered. 

8. See part II kr specific questions to help clarify the occupation and business or 

industry of a decedent. 

25 
Illustrations of acceptable entries for both occupation and industry 

The following examples, in addition to those previously given, illustrate the method 

for reporting some of the more common occupations and industries. 

Occupation 

Attorney 

Attorney 

Auditor 

Bookkeeper 

Camera operator 

Carpenter 

Carpet installer 

Cashier 

Chaplain 

Chauffeur 

Chauffeur 

Chemist 

Computer programmer 

Delivery driver 

Dressmaker 

Electrician 

Field examiner 

Flight engineer 

Geologist 

Insurance agent 

Janitor 

Judge 

Mechanic, auto 

Medical doctor 

Miner 

Motor operator (retired) 

Owner (Embalmer and Manager) 

Owner/Manager 

Pilot 

Plant manager 

President 

Printer (Apprentice) 

Production cost estimator 

Professor (English) 

Quarry worker 

Radio operator 

Registered nurse 

26 

Business/indust7y 

Self-employed 

Legal aid society 

Savings and loan 

Wholesale drugs 

Television station 

Building construction 

Retail carpet sales and installation 

company 

Bank 

State prison 

City fire department 

Taxicab company 

Plastic film manufacturing 

Life insurance company 

Wholesale bakery 

Dressmaking shop 

Electric light and power company 

Veterans Administration 

(U.S. Government) 

Aircraft company (manufacturing, retail, 

or wholesale) 

Petroleum exploration 

Life insurance company 

City office building 

County court 

Engine repair shop 

Board of health (State Government) 

Coal mine 

Urban transit system 

Funeral home 

Retail grocery store 

Commercial airline 

Petroleum refinery 

Business college 

Printing shop 

Auto body repair shop 

College 

Marble quarry 

College radio station 

Hospital 
Occupation Business/industry 

Senator U.S. Congress 

Stationary firefighter keel mill 

Student Junior college 

Supewisor (Weaving) Cotton cloth mill 

Supervisor (Office) Health and accident insurance company 

Teamster (Tractor Driver) Logging camp 

Weaver Cotton cloth mill 

These examples of acceptable entries of occupation and business/industry contain 

titles developed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for proper classification of the labor 

force. These are provided as a guide for proper reporting. 

27 
Appendixes 

A. The U.S. Standard Certificate of Death 

B. The Vital Statistics Registration System in the United States 
Appendix A 

The U.S. Standard Certificate of 

Death 

TwlwRtNT U.S. STANDARD 

*1 LOCAL Fl‘E NUMBER CERTIFICATE OF DEATH 

2. SEX 3. DATE OF DEATH lMmth,Dav, YewI 

plale June 20, 1989 

6. DATE OF BIRTH /Mon!h, 7 BIRTHPLACE /C,tv and State 01 

A$:y23.1911 ~~~G&isco, CA 

:E OF DEATH ICheck only on.% see insrrucrrons on other srdel 

z: DDA po Nursmg Home 0 Residence 0 Other &mc,fvl 

- -- .- -_-- - SC CITY, TOWN. OR LOCATION OF DEATH 

Frederick 

COUNTY 0 

I Frederick 

12a. DECEDENT’S USUAL OCCUPATION 12b 

Never Marvsd. Wtdowed. I/f wrle. IGrve krnd of work done most kfe 

KIND Of : BUSINESYINDUSTRY 

I 

IFm~Mtddfe,Mmden Surnamef 

! Ellen Russell 

NUMBER 

I 

23~. DATE SIGNED 

fMonth.Ow. Ynrl 

June 20, 1989 

runeral nume 

it.. Frederick, MD 20216 1-- _ ____ __ 

27 PART I Enter the diseases. qunet. o, compkcat~ons that caused the death Do not enter the mode of dying. such as csrdosc o( rew~tdory 

arrest. shock 0, nean Mum Ltrt only ona cause on each kne 

I IMMEDIATE CAUSE IFanal 

d#seess 0, condition + a Pulmonary Enbolism 

1 resultmg ,n death1 DUETO 

1 Appmximata 

I 

lnteNal Bowem 

On-t md Death 

! Minutes 

IDR AS A CONSEOUENCE OF). 

ive Heart Failure ; SEE lNSlRUClKIM 

2 ON OTHER StM Sequentmlly 1st cond8tvans. b Congestj 

at any. kadmg to lmmedaate 

cause. Enter LINGERLYWYG 

CAUSE lDe.essa o, I”,“,” 

c 

that ntlstsd events DUE TO iOR AS A CONSEGUENCE OFI, ,.,sul,ong I” death, LAST 

i 

, 4 days 

. 

z 

u 

I 

3 

LiEm5J f I ; 

3 

$ 0 7 

DUE TO (OR AS A CONSEOUENCE OFI: 

Acute Myocardial Infarction 

I 

I 7,days 

d. Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease 

PART II Other sagmtlcant Condltlons controbutmg to death bu, not resultmg ,n the underlymg cause gwsn ,n Part I --P 

Diabetes mcllitus, Hypertension 

’ 28b. r 

i 

, 8 years 

WERE AUTOPSY FtNOlNGS 

AVAIUBLE PRIOR TO 

COMPLETION OF CAUSE 

OF DEATH? IYes or ml 

“Att btC.NED ,Mc%Wh.O.v.Vm,, 

June 22, 1989 

mederick, MD 29885 

I u n.TC n, cn ,A&.#.* nm" Y-l 

PM-T-DO3 

REV l/B0 

29 
Appendix B 

The Vital Statistics Registration 

System in the United States 

The registration of births, deaths, fetal deaths, and other vital events2 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 to a very great extent 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 registration system, see the accompanying chart, “The Vital 

Statistics Registration System in the United States.” 

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 see that a complete certificate is filed for each event 

occurring in that district. In many States this official also has the duty of issuing 

burial-transit permits to authorize the disposition of dead human bodies. In many 

States this official is also required to keep a file of all events occurring within his or 

her district and, if authorized by State law and subject to the restrictions on issuance 

of copies as specified by the law, may be permitted to issue copies of these records. 

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 

‘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. 

30 
the documents for permanent reference and 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. An 

important function of the State office is to issue certified copies of the certificates to 

individuals in need of such records and to verily the facts of birth and death for 

agencies requiring legal evidence of such facts. 

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in the Public Health Service is 

vested with the authority for administering vital statistics functions at the national 

level. Data tapes of information 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 or copies, monthly, annual, and special statistical 

reports are prepared for the United States as a whole and for the component partscities, counties, States, and regions-by various 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. 

31 
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