Introduction Job exposure matrices are often used for exposure assessment in occupational exposure and epidemiology studies. However, general population job exposure matrices are difficult to find and access for workers in the United States of America (U.S.).

Objectives We aimed to use publicly available information to determine exposure to a wide range of occupational agents for use in U.S. general population studies.

Methods We used information from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupation Information Network database (O*NET) for 19,636 job tasks and 974 civilian occupations. We used automated keyword searches of each job task to identify job tasks that involved exposure to 50 occupational agents. We had two reviewers determine whether each identified job task actually involved exposure to the 50 occupational agents. We calculated percent agreement to compare the reviewers’ exposure determinations for each job task and exposure. We had a third reviewer, a certified industrial hygienist (CIH), assess any job task and exposure for which the two reviewers disagreed. The third reviewer also assessed a 10% sample of job tasks and exposures for which the two reviewers agreed. For each occupation, we used this information to derive three exposure variables for each occupational agent: ever exposure, number of job tasks of exposure, and frequency of exposure.

Results Our keyword searches identified a median of nine (interquartile range: 2.0, 40.5) job tasks for each occupational agent and the maximum was 308. The median percent agreement for the two reviewers’ exposure determinations was 95% (interquartile range: 79%, 100%). The median percentage for ever exposure to the occupational agents was 0.41% (interquartile range: 0.10%, 1.08%) and the maximum was 14.48%.

Conclusion O*NET information can be used to determine exposure to a wide range of occupational agents. We intend to use O*NET information in epidemiological studies of the U.S. general population.